Pharmaceutical practice:

Social and administrative pharmacy

FIPSUB-1331
ASSESSMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS (TB) TREATMENT PROTOCOL IN NATIONAL TB PROGRAM FOR SAFE
USE OF MEDICINE
Layba Shams* 1, Maham Fatima1, Rabeet Anwar1, Rijnab Fatima1, Hafiz Awais Nawaz1, 1, Huma Rasheed1
1Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (IPS), University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore, Pakistan

My preferred method of presentation is: Poster Presentation

Please fill in the presenting author's organization: Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences (IPS), University of Veterinary &
Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore, Pakistan
Background: Pakisan shares 6th largest burden of tuberculosis in the world and declares the disease as a national health emergency.
Despite high financial and human resource investment through development and implementation of National Tuberculosis Control
program (NTP) very less control has been acquired on the disease.
Purpose: To scrutinize “Desk guide for doctors on management of tuberculosis in Pakistan” published by NTP, for the presence of
information on medicine use and drug interactions.
Methods: BNF advisory and cautionary labels and online drug interaction checker (www. Drug.com) were used as information
resource. Drug interactions were retrieved for concomitant use of first line anti-tuberculosis drugs and a) OTC medicines as well as
with 2) antidiabetic, anti-hypertensive medicines and oral anticoagulants included in the latest essential medicines list of Pakistan
Results: : (1) Out of the 4 advisory and cautionary labels mentioned in BNF only one was used in the national protocol, (2)
Moderate interactions of anti-tuberculosis drugs were found with some general use and OTC medicines including paracetamol,
omeprazole and antacids containing aluminium hydroxide 3) Similarly 6 moderate food-drug interactions, 6 moderate interactions
with anti-diabetics drugs, 3 moderate and 1 major interaction with anti-hypertensive drugs and 2 moderate interactions with anti-
coagulant were identified.
Conclusion: Information on drug interactions and instructions for patients on medication use must be incorporated in NTP for
improving medication adherence and increasing the outcome of the national program.