Ground-breaking research conducted in South Africa to find shorter and more effective treatment for drug-resistant (DR) tuberculosis (TB) has resulted in global policy changes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
This research, conducted by the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and the Clinical HIV Research Unit (CHRU), formed part of clinical trials involving the Nix-TB and ZeNix studies conducted by the Global TB Alliance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The trials conducted in South Africa produced robust data. Subsequently, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced key changes to the treatment of DR-TB. Treatment time has been reduced from 18 months to six months and the number of pills reduced from 23 a day to 23 per week, eliminating injections and reducing side-effects. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Treatment has been delivered to those in South Africa needing it most under the BPaL clinical access programme since March 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The updates announced by the WHO include shorter novel six-month all-oral regimens for the treatment of multidrug and rifampicin-resistant TB (MDR\/RR-TB). In addition, based on data from South Africa\u2019s national TB programme, the WHO has also recommended an alternative nine-month all-oral regimen for the treatment of MDR\/RR-TB.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The research also revealed that nine out of every ten patients treated with the new regimen will be cured, offering hope to those who have DR-TB. Through an early access programme, some DR-TB patients in the country are already benefiting from the new regimen. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to Dr Norbert Ndjeka, appointed by the national Department of Health as chief director of TB, the new WHO guidelines allow almost all forms of DR-TB to be treated with either BPaLM or BPaL. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSouth Africa has once again delivered trailblazing research which will improve outcomes for patients with DR-TB in the country and internationally,\u201d said Ndjeka. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThis accomplishment has inspired us to continue our work in addressing the TB burden through research that produces better and shorter treatments that can cure the disease.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dr Francesca Conradie, an infectious diseases researcher in the School of Clinical Medicine at Wits, also confirms the advancements made.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe treatment of drug resistant TB has been a rapidly changing field in the last ten years and new medicines for DR-TB have been rapidly incorporated into South Africa\u2019s national TB programme,\u201d said Conradie. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
She\u2019s also executive director of CHRU\u2019s Isango Lethemba TB research unit and principal investigator of the Nix-TB and ZeNix clinical trials.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Ground-breaking research conducted in South Africa to find shorter and more effective treatment for drug-resistant (DR) tuberculosis (TB) has resulted in global policy 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