It is the leading killer of women ages 15 to 44 and kills more than 100,000 children each year. The American Lung Association is urging Congress to significantly increase U.S. support for international tuberculosis-control programs. In a major step toward eliminating tuberculosis on a global basis, the American Lung Association along with its medical section, the American Thoracic Society is proud to be a founding partner in a new international effort known as the STOP TB Initiative. Other organizations involved include the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, the Royal Netherlands Tuberculosis Association, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization. Importantly, the STOP TB Initiative will promote increased research and development of new tuberculosis vaccines, diagnostics and medication.
Vaccines are essential in the management of any infectious disease.
This is particularly true of tuberculosis, which is spread through the air we breathe. The global tuberculosis problem is also a U.S. problem. More than 40 percent of newly diagnosed cases in the United States occur among foreign-born individuals. The United States cannot win its battle with tuberculosis until the world does. U.S. tuberculosis cases have decreased overall for six consecutive years, but it is still a serious public health problem in some communities, including Washington, D.C., where the case rate is well above the national average.