A groundbreaking global collaboration called endTB is bringing new hope to the battle against drug-resistant tuberculosis. endTB represents a partnership between Médecins Sans Frontières, Partners In Health, and Interactive Research and Development, with assistance from researchers at Harvard Medical School and other academic institutions.
Through rigorous scientific research and clinical trials conducted in some of the hardest-hit countries, endTB has developed several new 9-month treatment regimens that are effective against multidrug-resistant TB. These all-oral regimens represent a dramatic improvement over the previous standard of care.
Instead of a painful 2-year course involving thousands of pills and injections, TB patients now have the option to be cured in less than a year with simpler pill-based protocols. Three of the five regimens tested by endTB were found to be safe and effective in adults, children, pregnant women, and people with other health conditions, such as infection with HIV or hepatitis C.
The endTB project has not only pioneered better treatments, but also demonstrated that high-quality research is possible even in resource-limited settings. By empowering local researchers and health workers, they have built lasting capabilities in TB-burdened communities. The data generated from endTB’s studies has laid the groundwork for better treatment guidelines worldwide.
There is still more work to be done to make these regimens affordable and accessible to all. But after years of despair in the fight against drug-resistant TB, the endTB collaboration provides new hope that science, compassion, and tenacity can eventually conquer this deadly disease. Instead of isolation and suffering, patients now have reason to believe that full, healthy lives are possible after a TB diagnosis.
Read the full article about the endTB project by Jake Miller from Harvard Medical School: What Will It Take to End Tuberculosis?
Read this press release about the endTB clinical trial: Landmark Clinical Trial Redefines Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Options
Watch this video about the groundbreaking endTB clinical trial: