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Though tuberculosis "is one of the world's leading killers … few citizens, scientists and policymakers are demanding more attention to TB research, treatment and prevention. … It's time to bring TB research into the 21st century," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, writes in an MSNBC opinion piece.
Though tuberculosis "is one of the world's leading killers … few citizens, scientists and policymakers are demanding more attention to TB research, treatment and prevention. … It's time to bring TB research into the 21st century," Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, writes in an MSNBC opinion piece.
As a result of the "high incidence of TB in HIV-infected individuals" and the "emergence and spread of drug-resistant forms of the disease … We are beginning to see the winds of change, but what we really need is a storm," according to Fauci. "It is imperative that we transform the way we diagnose, treat, prevent, and control TB – through biomedical research and public health measures – to the same extent that we have done and will continue to do with HIV/AIDS." He highlights the challenges facing TB treatment and outlines what types of improvements are needed to control the disease.
"The U.S. government and National Institutes of Health in particular have been longtime supporters of TB research. Other organizations, such as the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, have stepped up to the plate with enthusiasm. But we have much catching up to do, and the TB research effort will require a sustained and long-term commitment from government, academia, industry and philanthropy," Fauci writes. "As we move forward, applying new technologies and coordinating multiple efforts, it is critical to question the usual assumptions that have driven the field of TB research, and think in new and innovative ways, employing all the modern tools of biomedical research. Only by doing so, can we develop the transforming innovations that are needed to end the global TB pandemic," he concludes (11/17).
This article can be viewed at http://globalhealth.kff.org/Daily-Reports/2009/November/18/GH-111809-Opinions.aspx.
