• UGI USER
  • Dec 06, 2023
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BCG REVACCINATION STUDY IN ADULTS ACROSS 23 STATES

BCG revaccination study targeting adults in 23 Indian states.

Conducted in “programme implementation study mode.”

Source: The Hindu

 BCG Revaccination Study

  • Target Groups:Focus on high-risk individuals: aged over 50, with prior TB, underweight adults, diabetics, smokers, and alcohol consumers.Phase-1 to start in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. 
  • Study Context and Concerns:
    • No previous clinical trials in India;
    • Global studies show mixed results on BCG revaccination
    • Expert committee recommended a robust trial, but government opts for programmatic study.
    • WHO currently doesn’t recommend BCG revaccination in adults.
    • Concerns about the waning protective effect of a single BCG dose and the need for revaccination.
  • Implementation Plan:
    • Some districts used as an intervention arm, others as a control arm.
    • TB incidence to be monitored over a couple of years.

Challenges:

  • Challenges in Kerala due to field constraints and focus on closing immunization gaps post-pandemic.
  • Limited evidence on efficacy; studies based on retrospective data analysis from 1968.
  • Critics argue for a clinical trial first; WHO emphasizes a lack of current recommendations for widespread BCG revaccination.
  • Lakhs of consenting participants from high-risk groups.
  • Kerala, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal, and Uttarakhand haven’t consented.

 

This programmatic study aims to address gaps in knowledge about BCG revaccination efficacy in adults, particularly in high-risk groups, while considering concerns and challenges posed by field constraints in some states.