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Global TB Network (GTN)

Although several Tuberculosis (TB) networks exist, we realize the need for a mechanism linking together clinicians, public health experts, patients, civil society, scientific societies, major organizations, WHO, UNION as well as donors and pharma.

Goal

To actively pursue TB Elimination with a global effort building on existing collaborations in the area of research, advocacy and training

Objectives

To foster and conduct research on key unmet therapeutic and diagnostic needs in the field of TB elimination leveraging on multi-disciplinary, multi-sectorial approaches and supportive interventions (i.e. training, and advocacy activities) within the framework of the WHO End TB Strategy.

Core focus on: Latent TB Infection, M/XDR-TB, rapid TB diagnosis and other neglected areas (paediatric TB, extrapulmonary TB, rehabilitation of TB sequelae, infection control, among others)

GTN represents the structured evolution of pre-existing global TB networks including the International Linezolid, Carbapenems and Bedaquiline study groups and of the International Severe Cases and Rehabilitation Study Group, which produced over 40 articles in the last 5 years in Impact Factor peer-reviewed journals as well as several TB series in different journals.

The new global network aims at collaborating with existing organizations, associations, institutions and partners committed to fight against TB complementing and boosting  (and not duplicating) the existing initiatives.

Functioning

All GTN members need to be members of WAidid.

GTN will be organised into 4 pillars:

Pillar 1 includes the technical Committees covering the main areas relevant to TB management (TB prevention/LTBI; TB diagnosis; TB treatment; TB pharmacology; Paediatric TB; Migrants/vulnerable populations; Infection control; Impact evaluation, Strategies & global health;  Clinical support to patients (TB Consilium); Clinical Trials; TB and Surgery; Basic science;  Epidemiology, Statistics and Methodology).

Pillar 2 includes a few representatives from each association/organisation active in TB control interested to participate.

Pillar 3 includes private sector and pharma

Pillar 4 includes individual memberships

The Global TB Consilium: a response to difficult-to-treat TB cases

The Global TB Consilium is a global initiative offered by the Global TB Network (GTN).

The newly established GTN, operating within WAidid (a recognized Infectious Diseases society offering free membership for GTN members), aims to foster and conduct research on key unmet therapeutic and diagnostic needs in the field of TB elimination leveraging on multi-disciplinary, multi-sectorial approaches and supportive interventions (i.e. training, and advocacy activities) within the framework of the WHO End TB Strategy without duplicating existing efforts.

The Global TB Consilium is a free cost e-clinical consultation initiative, which globally provides clinicians with detailed and coordinated expert opinion on challenging cases of MDR-TB, XDR-TB,  performed by two qualified experts within a maximum of 48 hours of submitting the case.

The Global TB Consilium operates globally in English, Russian, Spanish and Portuguese. Other languages will be included based on needs.

Presently working via email, it will soon operate on a secure ad hoc electronic platform website.

The aims of the Global TB Consilium are to:

• Improve the clinical management of difficult-to-treat TB cases or micro-epidemics (including TB/HIV and paediatric cases)


• Provide scientifically sound and evidence-based advice to support physicians in managing diagnosis and treatment of MDR/XDR-TB cases (due to lack of clinical experience, frequent occurrence of adverse events, problems in patients’ adherence, and limited availability of adequate diagnostics and second-line anti-TB drugs in some countries) with special attention to the use of new drugs, new regimens and management of side effects


• Prevent the emergence of MDR/XDR-TB


• Support clinicians in handling micro-epidemics and management of latent TB infection


• Assess to what extent WHO policies and guidelines are applied (or not!) through an ad hoc Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) function

Three additional services are provided by the TB Consilium related to:

1. Independent opinion on the inclusion of patients in compassionate use of new drugs: the use of potentially life-saving drugs that are experimental as they have not received regulatory approval. The Global TB Consilium experts are qualified to provide a technically independent opinion on the rationale use of these drugs.


2. Guidance on management of latent tuberculosis infection and management of micro-epidemics.


3. Connecting resources among countries for the management of trans-border migration cases.

     To ask a advice from the Global TB Consilium please email to:  tbconsilium@gmail.com

 HOW THE GLOBAL TB CONSILIUM  WORKS:

Any clinician who needs clinical support can:

1. Send an email to tbconsilium@gmail.com explaining the reason to ask an advice for


2. He/she will be asked to fill in the Patient Form with anonymised clinical information following GDPR rules


3. He/she will receive a rapid clinical advice within 48 hours, independently provided by two selected global TB experts and consolidated by a Clinical Coordinator

We would very much appreciate your support in spreading awareness about this useful tool among your network of  colleagues and organizations involved in TB and TB/HIV clinical management and control.

WORKING GROUPS 

1. Basic Immunology

    Chair: Katie Flanagan, Australia

2. Virology

    Chair: Hubert Niesters, The Netherlands 

3. Respiratory Infections

    Chair: Juan Pablo Torres, Chile

4. Maternal Immunization

    Chair: Elke Leuridan, Belgium

5. Pediatric emergency

    Chair: Simon Nadel, UK