Evidence for treatment policy for HIV-infected tuberculosis patients - 2009 annual report
An outline of progress made in TDR’s ‘Evidence for treatment policy for HIV-infected tuberculosis patients’ research function during 2009
Summary
This business line aims to produce the evidence needed to drive the development and delivery of TB/HIV care guidelines in disease-endemic settings. Despite improved availability of TB drugs through the WHO Global Drugs Facility (GDF) and the universal scale-up of antiretroviral (ARV) medicines, developing countries are confronted by a soaring disease burden of HIV-driven TB. Further, there is limited evidence on case management strategies – factors which challenge resource-limited health systems to cope effectively. The global challenge inherent in both the burden of TB driven by HIV/AIDS and a dearth of resources to optimize control is that new lines of evidence that would improve control are in urgent demand. It is in this context that the activities being undertaken by this BL since its inception in 2007 have increased in importance and urgency.