An eminent expert said that tuberculosis (TB) was an eminently curable but disregarded illness by medical doctors, sufferers and every person as the last medication for treatment was discovered way back in 1960.

While talking to media persons after kicking off a three-day international meet on Bio-engineering, organized by the SRM University at its campus in suburban Kattankulathur, Tuberculosis Research Centre (TRC) Director V Kumaraswami stated that tuberculosis was so ingrained in the society that it did not draw any attention.

''Such was the neglect that the last drug was made in 1960 and that it was unlikely that any 'magic pill' will be created in the next decade or so,'' he regretted.

But, a year back, the TRC began clinical experiments to reduce the duration of cure under the Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) from six to four months by making use of five medications in place of the earlier four drugs.

''We are in the middle of it. The enrolment has just started. We need more than 1,000 newly diagnosed TB patients for conducting the trials. It will take several years,'' he added.

''Drug and clinical trials for Tuberculosis treatment is not easy, unlike other diseases and it takes a very long time,'' he said adding the trials would take more time as the objective was to reduce the period of treatment under DOTS from six months to four months. (With Inputs from Agencies)