No change in TB treatment regimen, social media claims misleading: Centre

Nagpur: The Central TB Division under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has issued a clarification dismissing widely circulated claims on social media about a change in the treatment regimen for drug-susceptible tuberculosis (DS-TB).According to the statement, messages suggesting that the standard DS-TB regimen has been revised to a 4HPMZ protocol (2HPMZ/2HPM) are incorrect and not in line with the current guidelines of the National TB Elimination Programme (NTEP).HPMZ refers to a four-drug combination — isoniazid (H), rifapentine (P), moxifloxacin (M), and pyrazinamide (Z) — being explored in newer treatment regimens for DS-TB. The regimen has been studied in clinical trials as part of efforts to shorten TB treatment duration to around four months, compared with the standard six-month course. However, as clarified by the Health Ministry's Central TB Division, the HPMZ-based regimen has not been approved for routine use in India and remains under evaluation.The current standard regimen 2HRZE/4HRE refers to a six-month TB treatment protocol, where patients receive isoniazid (H), rifampicin (R), pyrazinamide (Z), and ethambutol (E) for the first two months (intensive phase), followed by isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol for the next four months (continuation phase).Officials said that, after consultations with national experts, a conscious decision has been taken not to introduce the HPMZ-based regimen at this stage. The existing standard of care for DS-TB under NTEP remains unchanged as 2HRZE/4HRE.The Central TB Division has urged all stakeholders, including state TB teams, medical colleges, and professional bodies, to strictly follow the current national guidelines and avoid sharing unverified information. It also advised healthcare providers to rely only on official updates available through govt channels, including the ministry's TB information portal.The advisory cautioned that the spread of incorrect information could create confusion among healthcare professionals and negatively impact patient care and programme implementation.
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