A comment authored by Dr. Jennifer Furin (Harvard Medical School) and Rosa Herrera (Autonomous University of Durango; emeritus TB CAB member), reflects on the potential challenges of a prespecified exploratory analysis evaluating the efficacy and safety of 8-week treatment regimens for rifampicin-susceptible pulmonary TB (TRUNCATE-TB trial), published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases.

The authors remind us that “…regimen duration is not the only characteristic associated with more tolerable TB treatment. Key among treatment characteristics that people with TB value is durable cure, and taking a regimen that could require repeated courses of treatment might not be a viable strategy for many of them. Quality of care is as important as duration of treatment. While the enthusiasm for shorter regimens is understandable, it should not override what people with TB say they need most: holistic therapy that acknowledges their humanity at every step.”

Access the full comment here.