Chennai, Saturday, July 31, 2010: Tuberculosis (TB) was an eminently treatable but neglected disease by physicians, patients and everyone as the last drug for treatment was discovered way back in 1960, an eminent expert said today.

Speaking to reporters after inaugurating a three-day international conference on Bio-engineering, organised by the SRM University at its campus in suburban Kattankulathur, Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC) Director V Kumaraswami said TB was so ingrained in the society that it did not attract any attention.

''Such was the neglect that the last drug was made in 1960 and that it was unlikely that any 'magic pill' will be created in the next decade or so,'' he regretted.

However, a year ago, the TRC started clinical trials to bring down the duration of treatment under the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) from six to four months using five drugs instead of the earlier four drugs.

''We are in the middle of it. The enrolment has just started.

We need more than 1,000 newly diagnosed TB patients for conducting the trials. It will take several years,'' he added.

''Drug and clinical trials for Tuberculosis treatment is not easy, unlike other diseases and it takes a very long time,'' he said adding the trials would take more time as the objective was to reduce the period of treatment under DOTS from six months to four months.

Ref: UNI