April 21, 2026 | 06:22 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin has announced that the United States is conducting clinical trials on a new tuberculosis (TB) drug. Budi noted that this new medication has the potential to shorten the TB treatment regimen from the current six months to just one month.
According to Budi, the government has already placed an order for the drug to ensure Indonesia is among the first to receive it. "It is now in phase 3 clinical trials, and I am insistent that it must be brought to Indonesia so our patients can be the first to benefit," Budi stated during a working session with Commission IX of the House of Representatives at the Parliament Building in Jakarta on Monday, April 20, 2026.
Budi explained that TB bacteria are resilient and difficult to eradicate. To date, patients have been required to undergo a continuous six-month course of medication to eliminate the infection. However, with this new American-produced drug, patients would only need a one-month oral course, followed by a supplemental antibiotic injection.
Budi argued that this method is more effective as the antibiotic enters the patient's bloodstream directly, bypassing the digestive system, where traditional oral medications can lose potency. "Instead of the medication entering through digestion and being quickly expelled, it goes directly into the blood. Consequently, its efficacy is maintained in the body for a longer period," he noted.
The Minister confirmed that the drug has passed the second stage of clinical trials with promising results. While the initial supply will be purchased from the United States, Budi mentioned that the Indonesian government, through state-owned pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma, is simultaneously preparing for domestic production. "Bio Farma is currently readying the production facilities," he added.
Budi aims to launch this new TB treatment system by 2029, prior to the conclusion of President Prabowo Subianto's administration and the onset of the general election cycle. He noted that this timeline aligns with requests from politicians he encountered during regional visits. "Why? Because if this policy is implemented by 2029, we as politicians can monetize that success," he remarked.
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