6-month drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment more effective, cheaper than existing regimens: ICMR study

A six-month oral treatment for MDR-TB, and also specifically rifampicin-resistant, was found to be both more effective and more cost effective when compared to the longer therapies/medications currently used in India. An economic evaluation conducted by ICMR-National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis found that BPaL-based regimens (bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid) are more likely to be cost saving and/or cost saving, which may be important in reducing adverse effects, high costs, and poor adherence with standard of care medications to treat MDR-TB (especially bedaquiline-containing longer regimens). Read more here.