Drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment

Scope of the 2020 update
This current module on drug-resistant TB management and care provides specific recommendations 
on the management and care of drug-resistant TB, including use of regimens for isoniazid-resistant 
TB, all-oral shorter regimens for MDR/RR-TB, longer regimens for MDR/RR-TB, monitoring patient 
response to MDR/RR-TB treatment, starting ART in patients on second-line anti-TB regimens, surgery 
for patients on MDR-TB treatment, and care and support measures for patients with MDR/RR-TB.
These updated recommendations resulted from the 2019 GDG meeting, convened by WHO to review 
and discuss results on the
following:
• 
use of all-oral shorter regimens (9–12 months duration); 
• 
use of BPaL in combination for patients with MDR/RR-TB with additional fluoroquinolone
resistance;

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WHO consolidated 
guidelines 
on
tuberculosis: 
drug-resistant tuberculosis treatment
3
• 
use of bedaquiline for longer than 6 months; 
• 
concurrent use of bedaquiline and delamanid; and
• 
use of bedaquiline-containing regimens in pregnant
women.
Access to these data was achieved through close collaboration and engagement with national TB 
control programmes (NTPs), researchers, and a not-for-profit product-development partnership (TB 
Alliance) investigating the effectiveness and safety of these interventions (see Annex
 
1).
The text clearly indicates where recommendations are new. 
Target audience
These guidelines are primarily targeted at policy-makers in ministries of health, or managers of 
NTPs who formulate country-specific TB treatment guidelines or who are involved in the planning 
of TB treatment programmes. It is expected that these updated recommendations will also be 
used by health professionals, including doctors, nurses and educators working in governmental 
and nongovernmental organizations, and by technical agencies involved in treating patients and 
organizing treatment
services.

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Recommendations 
4
Recommendations