A global action framework for TB research in support of the third pillar of WHO’s end TB strategy.

Overview

Despite remarkable progress over the last 15 years in the fight against tuberculosis (TB) worldwide. TB remains the top infectious disease killer alongside with HIV/AIDS, claiming 1.5 million lives every year and causing suffering to millions more. The new WHO End TB Strategy, adopted by all WHO Member States at the World Health Assembly in May 2014, serves as a blueprint for countries to end the global TB epidemic. It sets targets to reduce TB incidence by 80% and TB deaths by 90% in 2030, and to eliminate catastrophic costs for TB-affected households by 2020.

To reach these ambitious targets, new revolutionary technology including rapid, simple, point-of-care diagnostics for infection and disease, shorter regimens for infection and disease, and eventually an effective vaccine, are needed. This requires much invigorated efforts in research, along a continuum that links upstream fundamental research to discovery and new tool development, and ultimately to operational and implementation research allowing innovative strategic approaches to be adapted to specific country needs. To facilitate this effort, the World Health Organization has developed a Global Action Framework for TB Research to foster high-quality TB research for the next 10 years (2016-2025) at global and national levels. The Framework builds on the outcome of a Global Consultation on Research for TB Elimination organized in Stockholm in November 2014 by the WHO Global TB Programme, the Swedish Government and the Karolinska Institutet. It describes how to strengthen TB research in all countries, with special emphasis on middle-income countries carrying the largest burden of TB, and how to support and facilitate research at global level.

The framework has two fundamental objectives: 1) To promote, enhance and intensify TB research and innovation at country level, with a focus on low- and middle-income countries, through the development of country-specific TB research plans and strong research capacity. 2) To promote, enhance and catalyse TB research at global level through advocacy, sharing innovations, discussion of global priorities in TB research and development of regional and international networks for research and capacity building.

It is designed for use by a wide range of groups and individuals including ministries of health and their national TB programmes, ministries of science and technology, national research institutes, academia, researchers, international and national donors and technical agencies, NGOs and civil society.