March 2017

This week, to commemorate World TB Day, twenty tuberculosis (TB) survivors and advocates from states across the country, including Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Texas, Wisconsin, and Washington, traveled to Capitol Hill to tell their stories about surviving TB and advocate with Congress for funding for global and domestic TB programs and research and development. ATS member and pediatric TB expert Jeff Starke, MD, participated in the event, the second annual Capitol Hill Day for TB survivors. Teams of TB survivors urged Congress to increase funding for USAID's global TB program, CDC's domestic TB program, and expanded research into new TB diagnostic, treatment and prevention tools through the NIH, CDC, and BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority). The annual TB Survivors Hill Day is sponsored by Aeras, ATS, RESULTS, NTCA, and other organizations.