July 2015

Last week, ATS TB experts participated with our coalition partners Stop TB USA and others in a stakeholder meeting with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy on drug resistant TB. The meeting was convened to provide input on the Administration's upcoming action plan on drug resistant TB, which will be released in the fall. Representatives from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of TB Elimination, the U.S. Agency for International Development and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease in addition to the Office of Science and Technology provided presentations on drug resistant TB efforts and future plans. U.S Special Envoy on Tuberculosis Eric Goosby, MD, gave opening remarks. "For too long we have been complacent about TB," said Goosby, calling for a commitment of ongoing resources to combat TB. Charles Daley, MD, and Randall Reves, MD, participated on behalf of the ATS.

During the meeting, the TB community strongly emphasized the need for increased funding for both domestic and global TB control program and additionally research into new TB diagnostic, treatment and prevention tools. "What will be different this time around?" Dr. Reves said, referring to previous federal efforts to combat TB. "The current pipeline timeline for new TB drugs and a new regimen is unacceptable."