Ration or compassion? Stakeholder perspectives on the introduction of bedaquiline in South Africa.

ABSTRACT: Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health emergency that poses a significant challenge to disease control efforts that rely on antibiotics. Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is a major contributor to global AMR, but its management has historically often remained confined to TB-specific discussions. The emergence of bedaquiline (BDQ), the first novel TB drug in decades, is a moment of potential confluence between AMR and DR-TB. By examining the period between 2012 and 2018, when BDQ was made available for DR-TB in South Africa, this study explores how the introduction of this novel drug foregrounded tensions between antimicrobial access and stewardship in resource-constrained settings. Through qualitative interviews with doctors, policymakers, patients, and activists in the contex

SUBMITTER: Raad R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12273958 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature