Newswise — World TB is March 24, 2008. The American Thoracic Society, originally named the American Sanitorium Association, continues its long history of fighting against the spread of TB as a member of Stop TB USA and the global Stop TB Partnership. As World TB Day is upon us, two bills in Congress await action that could stop or slow the spread of TB: The international Stop TB Now Act (S.968/H.R.1567), and the domestic Comprehensive TB Elimination Act (S.1551).
Exciting new research on TB control also continue to unfold: In the April 1 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, published by the American Thoracic Society, a molecular assay shows promising results for quick diagnosis of multi-drug resistant tuberculosis, which threatens not only individuals' health, but the social and economic stability of the developing countries that are hardest hit with the dual HIV and TB epidemics. Another article in the same issue of the journal looks at a diagnostic tool to differentiate TB infections from the symptomatically similar but clinically distinct Mycobacterium Avian complex infection.
The ATS members listed below are world-renowned experts in tuberculosis, and are available to speak to the press for any World TB Day-related stories.
Philip C. Hopewell, M.D. Associate DeanUniversity of California San FranciscoPast President, American Thoracic SocietyExpertise: The development of international standards for TB treatment and control and obstacles to their implementation
Richard E. Chaisson, M.D.Director Johns Hopkins Center for Tuberculosis ResearchExpertise: TB control, TB/HIV and treatment
Michael Lauzardo, M.D.Principal Investigator Southeastern National Tuberculosis Center University of Florida Expertise: TB among the foreign-born; general clinical aspects of TB care
Lee B. Reichman, M.D., M.P.H. Professor UMDNJ-New Jersey Medical SchoolExecutive Director of NJMS Global Tuberculosis Institute Expertise: Clinical treatment of TB, international TB problems, development of new diagnostic and treatment tools
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