Stop TB Canada has announced a streamlined process to speed up the availability of pretomanid, a key drug in the BPaL/M regimen for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB). Previously, Canadian physicians previously faced timelines as long as 30 days to procure the drug, but through collaboration with TB Alliance and manufacturer Viatris, this has been reduced to about a week. The BPaL/M regimen, a six-month, all-oral treatment, has significantly improved DR-TB cure rates globally. Although Canada relatively few DR-TB cases, timely access to these life-saving medications is crucial. Experts praise the new process and call for additional suppliers to follow suit in ensuring rapid treatment access.
Getting medicines in the hands of those who need them as quickly as possible is core to our mission. When we were made aware of the delays Canadian physicians were facing in procuring pretomanid for those they were treating, we worked with our partners to reduce the time it takes to get treatment to Canadians in need. We are grateful to Stop TB Canada, Canadian physicians and Viatris for their support in rapidly finding a solution.