Indian Health Ministry approves introduction of new shorter and more efficacious treatment regimen for drug-resistant TB. BPaLM regimen consisting of 4 drug combination.
In December 2022 WHO also released a new treatment for multidrug-resistant/rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB) guideline.
A 6-month treatment regimen composed of bedaquiline, pretomanid, linezolid (600 mg), and moxifloxacin (BPaLM) is recommended in place of the 9-month or longer (18-month) regimens in MDR/RR-TB patients, now including extensive pulmonary TB and extrapulmonary TB (except TB involving central nervous system, miliary TB and osteoarticular TB).
Use of 9-month all-oral regimen rather than 18-months regimen is suggested in patients with MDR/RR-TB and in whom resistance to fluoroquinolones has been excluded.
Longer (18-month) treatments remain a valid option in all cases in which shorter regimens cannot be implemented due to intolerance, drug-drug interactions, extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis, extensive forms of extrapulmonary TB, or previous failure.