How acid reflux pills may fight TB

PILLS for acid reflux might be a future treatment for tuberculosis (TB).

A study at University College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine compared TB rates among patients taking lansoprazole, which reduces acid production in the stomach, with those taking the similar drugs omeprazole and pantoprazole.

After analysing the health records of more than 1.4 million people, the researchers found those taking lansoprazole were a third less likely to develop TB.

A previous study found lansoprazole could destroy the bacteria that causes TB — it’s thought by targeting an enzyme the TB bacteria need to produce energy. The latest results were published in PLOS medicine.