New tuberculosis drugs coming - WHO
Oct 28, 2014
In the wake of rising drug-resistant Tuberculosis cases, the World Health Organisation has revealed that new treatment drugs are in the pipeline to curb an impending health crisis.
By Carol Natukunda, in Barcelona, Spain
In the wake of rising drug-resistant Tuberculosis cases, the World Health Organisation has revealed that new treatment drugs are in the pipeline to curb an impending health crisis.
However, the organisation is also asking governments to subsidise the cost of drugs saying most patients cannot afford the entire treatment course, hence resulting into relapses.
Statistics show that the number of people diagnosed with multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) tripled between 2009 and 2013. An estimated 480,000 people around the world developed this drug resistance TB, while about 210,000 deaths were reported.
In Uganda, about 540 cases of drug resistance Tuberculosis were registered in 2013. Uganda registers about 25,000 new cases of TB annually.
Diana Weil , the coordinator of Policy, strategy and innovations on the WHO’s Global TB programme announced that two new drugs – bedaguiline and delamanid - had been approved for the treatment of the drug resistant Tuberculosis.
She stated that there are 10 new or re-purposed drugs in the late phases of clinical development , while about 15 vaccine candidates were in clinical trials.
She regretted that drug resistance TB could be preventable if people were following their treatment guidelines.
“Most people who strictly follow their six month drug regime are cured. But when you don’t, the TB becomes resistant to the drugs. Considering the global MDR-TB crisis, the limited therapeutic options available for this life-threatening condition, the need to promote safe and responsible use of TB drugs,” Weil stated.
She made the remarks on Monday while speaking to journalists under the National Press Foundation Lung health Media Training fellowship in Barcelona, Spain.
The three day training aims at equipping journalists with key data ahead of the World Conference in lung health from 29th October to 1st November.
Dr. Mario Raviglione, the director of WHO Global TB Programme urged countries to consider MDR-TB as a health crisis.
He challenged governments to subsidise the cost of drugs, arguing that it was one of the reasons people were not adhering to the treatment.
“We are fooling ourselves if we impose prices on these drugs. We can’t pretend that they have money to spend on a six month treatment when they have to walk back home several miles away. Drugs have to be free to patients, and we are talking to Parliamentarians about that,” Dr. Raviglione said.
Meanwhile, WHO has released guidelines for the new treatment to work. Special caution is required when delamanid drug is used in people aged 65 and over, in adults living with HIV, patients with diabetes, hepatic or severe renal impairment, or those who use alcohol or substances. Use in pregnant and breastfeeding women and children is not advised.
Experts also cautioned patients must be fully aware of the potential benefits and harms of the new drug, and doctors must give informed consent before embarking on treatment .
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