The STREAM Trial Sponsor and Chief Investigators acknowledge the recently updated WHO recommendations on approaches to MDR-TB treatment. Given the recommended options of a long, all-oral regimen, as well as the previously recommended 9-11 month regimen (Arm B in the STREAM trial), we will continue to recruit patients to STREAM Stage 2 according to the protocol. Recruitment will be discontinued in countries where only all-oral regimens are employed in MDR-TB treatment programmes (currently only South Africa). We believe that STREAM Stage 2’s objectives remain very relevant to the field and we look forward to contributing to the developing evidence base on shorter, all-oral treatment regimens. In response to WHO’s recommendation on the selection of an injectable medicine to be used, the trial will transition to amikacin once the required protocol modifications are completed and all necessary approvals received.
We are pleased to have contributed to the recent WHO guideline development process and look forward to playing an important role in future guideline deliberations.