MSF\u00a0report<\/b><\/p>\n
This new MSF report provides an overview of the landscape of optimal treatment for drug-resistant TB (DR-TB), outlines the key barriers to accessing affordable effective treatment, and provides recommendations for action that can improve DR-TB care on a global scale.<\/strong><\/p>\n There is much in need of improvement. According to WHO Global TB Report 2019, in 2018: Of the estimated\u00a0half a million\u00a0people fell ill with\u00a0MDR\/RR-TB, only 39% of people with\u00a0MDR\/RRTB\u00a0were diagnosed, and only\u00a01 in 3\u00a0people with\u00a0MDR\/RRTB\u00a0were started on treatment. According to the latest global cohort data available, cure rates are still unacceptably low:: 56% and\u00a039% of people treated for MDR\/RR-TB and XDR-TB, respectively.<\/p>\n The 5 urgent actions to improve access and treatment outcomes are;<\/p>\n Countries\u00a0to\u00a0make\u00a0a\u00a0timely\u00a0switch\u00a0to\u00a0the\u00a0newly\u00a0recommended\u00a0all-oral\u00a0drug\u00a0regimens<\/b>, discontinuing the use of harmful and difficult-to-use injectable agents, and prioritising the use of the newer drug bedaquiline.<\/p>\n Johnson\u00a0and\u00a0Johnson\u00a0(J&J)\u00a0to\u00a0reduce\u00a0the\u00a0price\u00a0of\u00a0bedaquiline\u00a0to\u00a0no\u00a0more\u00a0than\u00a0US$1\u00a0a\u00a0day<\/b>, especially given the fact that substantial public and philanthropic funding went into the development of bedaquiline. This public collective effort in drug R&D for bedaquiline needs to be reflected in its availability for people with DR-TB for whom access to this medicine is a matter of life or death. Since bedaquiline was recommended in WHO\u2019s August 2018 rapid guidance as a core drug to treat MDR-TB, less than 12,000 have received bedaquiline-containing regimens (according to DRTB STAT).<\/p>\n Countries to overcome restrictive patents and exclusive licensing of key TB drugs<\/strong>, including bedaquiline and delamanid, in order to facilitate generic competition to bring down prices and increase access.<\/p>\n Countries to adopt effective national drug procurement policies<\/strong> in order to reduce risk to quality, affordability, access to critical TB medicines, particularly as more country shift from the Global Fund -supported pooled procurement mechanisms to domestic national processes.<\/p>\n Governments to support public health-drive R&D<\/strong> and better governance of new medical tools to ensure affordable and sustainable access.<\/p>\n