Statement on the use of child-friendly fixed-dose combinations for the treatment of TB in children

Overview

WHO and UNICEF has issued a joint statement, urging all National TB Programmes to replace the previously used medicines for children weighing less than 25 kg with the child-friendly dispersible TB fixed-dose combinations (FDCs) at the soonest possible time. WHO and UNICEF advise against continued usage of the old sub-optimally dosed FDCs or adult formulations (crushed tablets), which may lead to under or over-dosing, unfavourable treatment outcomes, and high likelihood of contributing to the development of drug resistance.

The child-friendly FDCs were launched in December 2015 by WHO and the Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance), with support from UNITAID. They were developed in line with the revised dosing to achieve the appropriate therapeutic levels, that was published in the WHO Guidance for national tuberculosis programmes on the management of tuberculosis in children.