Stop TB Canada Newsletter

February 2025 Newsletter

World TB Day webinar: Advocating for greater access to medicines to #EndTB

Stop TB Canada’s latest report, Access to Essential Tuberculosis Medicines in Canada, reveals alarming gaps in access to essential tuberculosis (TB) medicines across the country, raising urgent concerns about Canada’s capacity to effectively combat this preventable and treatable disease.

In recognition of World TB Day, Stop TB Canada’s webinar will spotlight the transformative new TB treatments developed over the past two decades, the persistent challenges in accessing these medicines in Canada, and what can be done to mitigate these barriers. We will delve into the report’s findings and Stop TB Canada’s recommendations to remove obstacles and ensure equitable access to treatment for all.

Wednesday, March 19 12:30 - 1:30pm ET

Register here

Unite to #EndTB event in Toronto

For World TB Day on March 24, Results Canada is hosting a FREE event open to all where participants will learn about TB and the steps that they can take as advocates to generate the political will to end it. The event will end with a gathering at a local monument lit in red where we can unite to shine a spotlight on this issue!

Monday, March 24 6:00 - 8:00pm ET

Register here

Help us raise awareness for TB this World TB Day by sharing content from our social media toolkit throughout March.

Access the social media toolkit here.

Stop TB Canada statement on U.S. aid cuts

Stop TB Canada is speaking out against the Trump Administration’s recent decisions to dismantle USAID and withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO). These abrupt and harmful actions have already had devastating consequences in global health, particularly for communities fighting TB across the world. In light of these unprecedented challenges, we call on Canada to fill gaps left by the U.S.’ withdrawal of international assistance by stepping up with additional investment and rally global partners around strategic and compassionate commitments to international cooperation.

Read our statement here

To learn more about the impacts of USAID stop work orders, funding freezes, and lay-offs on the fight to #EndTB, check out the TB Community Coordination Hub here.

New online TST/IGRA interpreter

In 2008, the TSTin3D was developed as an online decision aid to providers weighing the pro’s and con’s of recommending INH preventive therapy. The last update was in 2011. A lot has changed since then - new Rifamycin based regimens, data on incidence of TB with different risk factors, more data on the predictive accuracy of tests for TB infection (notably IGRAs), and growing recognition and evidence of poor outcomes even after successful treatment of TB disease.

All this new evidence has been incorporated into a new version of the online decision aid – the TSTin4D or IGRAin4D. This decision aid provides information about the likelihood of developing TB disease, dying from TB, as well as post-TB disability, in the next 20 years in a person with a positive Tuberculin skin test or a positive Interferon gamma release assay and a known risk factor. This also provides information on the potential benefits and risks of TB preventive therapy. There is additional information for the person considering whether to accept TB preventive therapy in an effort to support shared decision making.

Access the online decision aid here.

Publication spotlight

Tuberculosis Disease in Canada, 2023 (infographic)

High-level national TB statistics are now available for 2023, marking both an increase in cases and rate. A total of 2217 people were diagnosed with TB in Canada, with a rate of 5.5/100,000. The last time our TB rate was this high was 2001 (5.71/100,000). Learn more here.

Bedaquiline is accessible through GDF at new updated pricing

As of the beginning of 2025, bedaquiline is available from the Global Drug Facility (GDF) for $90 per adult treatment course from Lupin and Macleods - a 54% price reduction from the August 2023 price. This latest price reduction is only possible thanks to the successful secondary patent challenge in India and accompanying civil society-led campaign that forced J&J to publicly commit to secondary patent non-enforcement for bedaquiline, enabling true generic competition. Learn more here.

Historic TB outbreak a wake-up call for US policy makers

In Kansas, USA, public health workers are battling one of the largest tuberculosis outbreaks in US history. As of Jan 31, 67 patients in the Kansas City metropolitan area had active infections and 79 latent cases have been identified. Learn more here.

Key dates

March 8: International Women's Day

March 19: World TB Day Webinar

March 24: World TB Day

Follow us at TBPeople Canada!

TBpeople is a global network of people affected by TB on a mission to unite people and defeat TB. Follow along and join us in building this network in Canada:

Are you or have you been affected by TB? Please consider joining TBpeople Canada to connect with others who have been impacted by TB, and share stories, resources and support with your peers. To learn more about this network, visit our website at https://www.stoptbcanada.com/tbpeoplecanada.

Do you work closely with TB clinics and/or those affected by TB? Click to download and print the flyer on our website and share it in your clinic.

Remain connected by joining our directory

Join our directory of TB researchers, practitioners, advocates and survivors based in Canada to connect with colleagues and engage in our advocacy!

Join the directory by completing this short form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdq1aT8U0Lfj66TqvDV_7yP0vC38i3AABfwWBcd8T-9_p5yBA/viewform

Thank you!

This newsletter is supported by resources donated by Results Canada.