CIDRAP News: Reports: Tuberculosis R&D funding still falling short
“Global funding for tuberculosis research and development (TB R&D) has reached an all-time high, but funding goals for efforts to eliminate the disease remain far out of reach, according to two reports released [Tuesday]. In an analysis of TB research funding trends from 2005 through 2018, the Treatment Action Group (TAG) found that global funding for TB R&D totaled $916 million US for fiscal year 2018, an increase of $134 million US from 2017. But the Stop TB Partnership’s (STBP’s) updated Global Plan to End TB calls for $2.6 billion US per year for R&D of new diagnostics, new drugs, and a new vaccine. That’s in addition to $13 billion US a year needed for TB prevention and care, the group says…” (Dall, 12/10).

The Telegraph: Up to $15bn a year needed to control TB as world urged to ‘mobilize’ against the disease
“…The [Stop TB] action plan also calls for increased uptake of new drugs specially formulated for children with the drug-resistant form of the disease. In the past children have had to take unpalatable adult versions of the drugs but new child-friendly treatments need to be urgently rolled out. … To stimulate an activist movement the plan also asks for $2.5 million to fund grassroots, community organizations — similar to grassroots HIV groups which have led effective campaigns for both new drugs and social change…” (Gulland, 12/10).