Many TB prescriptions outside national programme do not follow treatment guidelines, study finds
A systematic review published in the Indian Journal of Tuberculosis reveals that over 50% of anti-TB prescriptions in India's private sector do not follow national treatment guidelines. The study notes a long-term decline in these errors but highlights significant regional disparities.
Why it matters
Incorrect TB treatment contributes to drug resistance and public health risks, necessitating better oversight of private healthcare providers.
More than one in two anti-tuberculosis prescriptions assessed in healthcare settings outside India’s National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP) did not conform to recommended treatment standards, according to a new systematic review and meta-analysis.
Published in the Indian Journal of Tuberculosis , the PRAMAN India study analysed 34 studies conducted between 1991 and 2024, covering 3,834 real-world anti-TB treatment records. The pooled prevalence of faulty prescriptions was 53.3% (95% CI: 42.2–64.1%).
The study also found a significant long-term decline in faulty prescribing. Weighted linear regression showed an average reduction of 1.38 percentage points a year (P=0.013). The crude prevalence fell from 68.6% in studies from 1990–1999 to 32.6% during 2020–2024.
The researchers estimated that about 2–3 million anti-TB prescriptions could be incorrect every year in India’s non-programmatic healthcare sector, based on private-sector treatment volumes. This translates to roughly four to five potentially faulty prescriptions every minute.
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