As per Global TB report 2017, estimated number of Multi Drug Resistant (MDR) TB patients are 6,01,000 globally, of which 147000 (1/4th) are estimated from India.

Bedaquiline drug was introduced in India in 2016 under conditional access programme for selective group of the Multi drug resistant TB patients based on drug sensitivity results of second line anti TB drugs.

Bedaquiline drug is manufactured by Janssen & Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson and Johnson, at 100% export Special Economic Zone (SEZ), Bangalore, India.  In India, this drug is available through Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP) only and open market sale of Bedaquiline is not permitted by Drug Control General – India as of now. 

As published in a media report, Nobel Laureate Sir John Walker had raised concern about the already known cardiotoxicity associated with the drug Bedaquiline. 

The Minister of State (Health and Family Welfare), Shri Ashwini Kumar Choubey stated this in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha here today.

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MV/LK