India's Shorter TB Regimens Cost-Effective
Analysis based on 22 articles · First reported Feb 12, 2026 · Last updated Feb 13, 2026
The study's findings are positive for the healthcare and pharmaceutical markets, particularly in India, as they advocate for more efficient and cost-effective tuberculosis treatments. This could lead to increased demand for the drugs used in the BPaL and BPaLM regimens and potentially influence global TB treatment guidelines.
An economic evaluation published in the Indian Journal of Medical Research by the India===Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and its India===National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (ICMR-NIRT) has demonstrated that shorter, six-month all-oral treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB) are cost-effective and offer improved health outcomes compared to longer regimens currently used in India. The study assessed bedaquiline-based regimens, BPaL (bedaquiline, pretomanid, and linezolid) and BPaLM (with moxifloxacin), against existing 9-11 month and 18-20 month regimens under the India===National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP). The BPaL regimen was found to be more effective and cost-saving, reducing health system expenditure by INR 379 per patient per additional Quality Adjusted Life Year (QALY) gained. The BPaLM regimen was also highly cost-effective. These shorter regimens are expected to improve treatment adherence, reduce patient morbidity, and lower the burden on the health system in India, which accounts for over a quarter of global TB cases.
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