The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that about 600,000 new cases of MDR/RR-TB emerge each year and about 240,000 people die due to these forms of TB. WHO, on 17th August 2018, had announced a rapid communication on “Key changes to treatment of multi-drug and rifampicin resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB)”. By releasing the draft, the WHO expects a major improvement in treatment outcomes and quality of life of patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB).
Key Highlights For Doctors The first important change in the treatment regimen is a new priority ranking of the available medicines for MDR-TB treatment, based on a careful balance between expected benefits and harms. The second important change is a fully oral regimen, with injectable agents proposed to be replaced by more potent alternatives such as bedaquiline. Revised ranking of TB medicines Group A consists of…
