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Successful Pilot of e-Pharmacy Model Brings TB Treatment to Patients' Doorsteps

In December 2019, the SHOPS Plus project team in India, in partnership with the state government of Madhya Pradesh and the pharmaceutical company Medlife International, launched an innovative, drug-to-doorstep e-pharmacy model to help the fight against TB. In the e-pharmacy model, private providers can prescribe home sputum testing materials to presumptive TB patients. The test is completed in the comfort of the patient’s own home, and e-pharmacy agents will pick up the materials and deliver them to the lab facility. The lab uploads the results to the government’s online platform where providers can view results and prescribe treatment. Once the prescription is verified by the e-pharmacy, agents deliver the drugs directly to the patient’s home. This brief shares  the findings and lessons learned from the pilot program.