Economic aspects of shortening the duration of tuberculosis treatment

With the currently recommended 6-month antituberculosis therapy (ATT), 85% of people with drugsensitive tuberculosis could be cured.1 However, this regimen still requires four medications and a minimum of 6 months of therapy. Long duration of treatment and drug-related toxicity leads to drug fatigue and non-compliance. Recurrence, community transmission, and acquired drug-resistance are all risks associated with premature treatment discontinuation, especially for drug-resistant tuberculosis, which requires more intensive treatment and longer duration.2 The prevailing cost of treatment constrains available resources in lowincome and middle-income countries, and thus shorter regimens for both drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis are vital.