15 December 2022 | Geneva
WHO has just released updated consolidated guidelines on the treatment of drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) featuring major improvements in treatment options for people with multidrug-resistant or rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB). The guidelines include a new recommendation on the use of a novel all-oral 6-month regimen composed of bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid and moxifloxacin (BPaLM) in people suffering from MDR/RR-TB or MDR/RR-TB with additional resistance to fluoroquinolones (pre-XDR-TB). The newly recommended BPaLM regimen offers better outcomes, remarkably shortens the duration of treatment, and thus significantly improves quality of life for people with MDR/RR-TB.
The WHO Consolidated Guidelines on Tuberculosis, Module 4: Treatment – Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment, 2022 update includes all the current recommendations on treatment of DR-TB, and is complemented by an operational handbook designed to assist the implementation of WHO recommendations by Member States, technical partners and others who are involved in the management of patients with DR-TB. The WHO Operational Handbook on Tuberculosis, Module 4: Treatment – Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment, 2022 update provides practical guidance on how to put in place the recommended treatment options at the scale needed to achieve national and global impact.
The updated guidelines and supporting operational handbook are designed for use by national TB programmes, or their equivalents in Ministries of Health, policy makers and technical organizations working on TB and infectious diseases in public and private sectors and in the community. These documents aim to facilitate uptake of WHO policy in the field and thus improve the overall quality of TB services.
WHO welcomes new initiatives by the public and private sectors to reduce the pricing of pretomanid and potentially other component medicines – that will lower the cost of the new BPaLM/BPaL treatment regimen and make it more accessible.
To facilitate and promote implementation of the new regimen for the treatment of DR-TB WHO will set up a regular online discussion platform that will include high MDR/RR-TB burden countries, civil society, technical partners and donor community.
Recommended readings
- GLOBAL TUBERCULOSIS REPORT 2021
- Global Tuberculosis Report 2020
- Global Tuberculosis Report 2019: Latest status of the tuberculosis epidemic
- Global Tuberculosis Report 2018
- WHO Global Tuberculosis report 2015
- Global tuberculosis report 2014: Improved data reveals higher global burden of tuberculosis
- National Tuberculosis Programme Annual Report 2018
- National Tuberculosis Program Update in Nepal #WorldTBDay #EndTB
- National TB Prevalence Survey, 2018-19 Key findings
- World Tuberculosis Day 2020! It’s time to End TB!
- National Guideline on Drug Resistant TB Management 2019, Nepal
- National Tuberculosis Management Guideline 2019, Nepal
- Global Tuberculosis Report 2019: Latest status of the tuberculosis epidemic
- National TB Prevalence Survey, 2018-19 Key findings
- New WHO recommendations to prevent tuberculosis aim to save millions of lives
- World Health Organization (WHO) Information Note Tuberculosis and COVID-19
- World Tuberculosis Day 2020! It’s time to End TB!
- People-centred framework for tuberculosis programme planning and prioritization, User guide
- Global Tuberculosis Report 2019: Latest status of the tuberculosis epidemic
- Dissemination of Findings and Recommendations of Joint External Monitoring Mission(JEMM) of Nepal National Tuberculosis Program
- National Tuberculosis Programme Annual Report 2018
- National Strategic Plan for Tuberculosis Prevention, Care and Control 2016 – 2021
- NTP, Nepal: New TB Treatment Algorithm & Regimen (Updated)
- WHO announces landmark changes in MDR-TB treatment regimens
- TB Vaccine results announce a promising step towards ending the emergency
- 7 million people receive record levels of lifesaving TB treatment but 3 million still miss out
