A drug offering a last resort for many patients with extensively drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) remains unavailable to desperately ill South Africans as the country’s drug regulatory body continues to delay compassionate access. Health-e News Service tells the story of two young South Africans, one who managed to beat the system and accessBedaquiline, the other coming up against a brick wall and fast running out of options to save her life. 

Tuberculosis transmission rates in South Africa and more specifically Cape Town have not changed at all over the past 100 years, even though people are living longer and being cured because of treatment. Many are cured, only to be infected again.

South Africa’s Medicines Control Council will continue to deny compassionate access to bedaquiline that for many drug resistant patients is their last hope.

Johannesburg - SA’s drug regulatory authority is placing unreasonable hurdles in the way of desperately ill and dying patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis, stopping them from accessing a new drug that offers their only hope.

It has been 30 years since South Africa altered the Tuberculosis (TB) treatment guidelines, however a recent change holds the promise of curing more drug resistant (DR) TB cases and a reduction in infections.