WHO adds new drug to treat drug-resistant tuberculosis

Sister Veronicah Wanjiru of Mbungoni Catholic Clinic in Mombasa displays information about tuberculosis on February 26, 2016. WHO has added a new drug to treat resistant TB. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • WHO said that the injections are known to leave some patients deaf and cause kidney failures, prompting them to discontinue the treatment.
  • Last month, Kenya’s TB programme reduced by half the time patients with drug-resistant TB need to take their drugs after research showed that the drugs can achieve the same cure rate whether taken for two years or nine months.

A month after the Kenyan government shortened the treatment period for patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has added a new drug to the list of priority drugs to be used for treating patients with Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB).

The announcement made ahead of the United Nations high level meeting next month, in New York, also called on countries to prioritise an all-oral treatment over injections as the latter causes serious side effects.

In a statement sent out early this week, the WHO said that the injections, while considered “life-saving”, are known to leave some patients deaf and cause kidney failures, prompting them to discontinue the treatment.

The communique brings on board crucial changes to the MDR-TB treatment, which include expanding the usage of the latest tuberculosis drug, called bedaquiline by adding it in the list of ‘priority’ drugs for patients with MDR-TB.

RAY OF HOPE

The drug is said to have become “a ray of hope for patients” in the last few years as it lowers the rate at which they can infect other people.

“Building on the available new data, and with the involvement of a large number of stakeholders, WHO has moved forward in reviewing the evidence and communicating the key changes needed to improve the chances of survival of MDR-TB patients worldwide,” said Dr Soumya Swaminathan, WHO Deputy Director-General for Programmes in a statement on Friday.

The international health agency however, warned that it does not have evidence on the safety and effectiveness of bedaquiline use beyond six months, as it was insufficient for review.

FIVE MEDICINES

Last month, Kenya’s TB programme reduced by half the time patients with drug-resistant TB need to take their drugs after research showed that the drugs can achieve the same cure rate whether taken for two years or nine months.

Longer MDR-TB regimens usually last 18-20 months and may be standardised or individualised, a WHO, Kenya official said. These regimens are usually designed to include at least five medicines that are considered effective.

“The idea, is to increasingly replace injectable drugs which are considered painful and more toxic with oral medicines,” the official explained, adding that the decision was informed by wider studies.