20 Oct Tradeoffs in Bedaquiline Introduction Policies: A Model Based Analysis

Authored by: Kunkel A, Cobelens F, Cohen T.
In: PLoS Med 2016;13:e1002142.

Bedaquilline, a new drug to treat tuberculosis, is currently only recommended for use in patients with advanced forms of drug resistance (XDR-TB and “pre-XDR-TB’). In a collaboration with Yale School of Public Health we used mathematical modeling to predict the effects of alternative scenarios of introducing bedaquilline. We showed that expanding bedaquiline access to all patients with MDR TB would have the best trade-offs for patients’ health, protection of background MDR TB drugs and reduction in transmission, although it would likely result in greater resistance to bedaquiline. This means that WHO should consider less restrictive use of this drug. Read more