Nurse-led care at local clinics versus doctor-led hospital care for rifampicin‑resistant TB
Official title: The Bring BPaL2Me Trial - Comparing Nurse-Led RR-TB Treatment in Primary Care to Physician-Led, Hospital-Based RR-TB Treatment: A Cluster Randomized, Non-Inferiority Trial
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11494911 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project compares nurse-led treatment for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis offered at local primary care clinics to doctor-led care at district hospitals for people with RR-TB.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | March 10, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $23,515 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI177135-04S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11494911 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults diagnosed with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) in KwaZulu‑Natal, Gauteng, or Eastern Cape provinces, including many people living with HIV.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not have RR-TB, who require inpatient care for severe illness, or who live outside the study regions are unlikely to benefit from participation.
What this research studies
If you have rifampicin-resistant TB, this project enrolls patients at participating primary care clinics and linked district hospitals across three South African provinces. Some clinic sites will deliver RR-TB care led by trained nurses, while hospital sites provide the usual physician-led outpatient care, and outcomes are compared by cluster. The study plans to enroll about 2,944 people (many living with HIV) and follow treatment results and patient costs. The aim is to find out whether receiving care closer to home from nurses can match hospital care while reducing financial burden.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could let people with RR-TB receive effective treatment closer to home and face fewer catastrophic costs.
How similar studies have gone: Nurse-led, decentralized care has achieved strong outcomes for drug-susceptible TB and integrated TB/HIV services, but randomized evidence specifically for RR-TB delivered in primary care is limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Farley, Jason Edward — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Farley, Jason Edward
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.