Alcohol reduction study in TB and HIV persons to commence in April in Pune

US-based National Institutes of Health has funded a hybrid trial for alcohol reduction among people with TB and HIV in India (HATHI) that is set to begin in April in Pune. Johns Hopkins University in collaboration with Pune’s B J Government Medical College and Dr. D.Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital, and Research Center have developed a behavioral intervention to reduce alcohol use among TB/HIV patients.



“We have contextualized the intervention to Indian settings and termed it as `HATHI’ intervention. The study aims at delivering the sessions to the patients with TB and/or HIV at BJGMC and Dr. DY Patil Medical College sites and assess the effectiveness of the intervention in reducing unhealthy alcohol use as well as improving the TB and HIV treatment outcomes. The study will commence in April this year and include 450 patients,” Dr Nishi Suryavanshi, Deputy Director and Coordinator BJGMC-JHU Clinical Research Site and lead investigator told The Indian Express.