Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the oldest infectious diseases in recorded history. TB is preventable, treatable, and curable, but still devastates lives, livelihoods, and economies globally. In the past 200 years, the disease has claimed over a billion lives.
There is currently only one approved TB vaccine, the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine, and just turned 100 years old. The vaccine protects against severe forms of TB in infants and young children, but offers poor protection against other forms of TB, TB transmission, and disease in adolescents and adults.
At the United Nations High-Level Meeting (UNHLM) on TB in 2018, world leaders committed to delivering new, effective, safe, equitable, and affordable TB vaccines “as soon as possible.” But they failed to secure a date or funding for this commitment. We need at least US$550 million per year for new TB vaccines.
The COVID-19 pandemic has further pushed back progress on the global fight against TB by up to 12 years. COVID-19 vaccine research received over US$100 billion in funding last year, compared to $117 million for TB vaccine research in 2019.
Join us in calling on world leaders to deliver new TB vaccines by 2025 to meet the Sustainable Development Goals target to end TB by 2030.
JOIN THE CAMPAIGN
- Use suggested messages with the accompanying image or GIF.
- Post on social media with the campaign hashtags: #TBVaccine in times of #COVID19
It’s possible to end TB in the next 9 years. But we need a new #TBVaccine. As we mark the 100-year anniversary of the BCG vaccine, we call on leaders to fund TB vaccine research and development so we can #EndTB by 2030.
#COVID19 vaccine research received over US$100 billion in funding in the past year—to great success. We need at least US$550 million per year for a new #TBVaccine that can #EndTB, one of the world’s leading infectious disease killers.
July 18, 1921: First TB vaccine administered. July 18, 2021: Same vaccine being administered, even though it only protects infants and young children against severe forms of the disease. To #EndTB by 2030, we need a new #TBVaccine.
Recently, G7 leaders committed to developing vaccines for any future pandemics in under 100 days. We expect nothing less for #Tuberculosis, an existing pandemic using the same vaccine for the last 100 years. We need to invest in a new #TBVaccine today.
Since 2020, 18 COVID-19 vaccines were made available and rolled out. Since 1921, there has been ONLY one TB vaccine and it offers poor protection in adolescents & adults. To #EndTB, we need at least one new, effective, safe & accessible #TBVaccine. #LeaveNoOneBehind
In July 1921, the first child received the BCG vaccine to protect against TB. 100 years later, we are still using the same vaccine—yet TB still kills over 4000 people every day. To #EndTB, we need a new #TBVaccine.
In 2018, world leaders committed to delivering an effective, safe, equitable & affordable #TBVaccine as soon as possible. But they failed to secure funding for this commitment. We call on world leaders to urgently deliver a new vaccine by 2025. #EndTB
Reach out to your decision-makers
As part of the BCG 100 Year Anniversary campaign, Stop TB Partnership, IAVI, RESULTS UK, Treatment Action Group, TBPEOPLE, TB Women, Global Coalition of TB Activists, and the TB Europe Coalition are sending letters to G20 Ministers of Science, Health, and Finance, calling on them to step up funding for TB vaccines.
Help us reach out to decision-makers by downloading a template letter here and sending it to political leaders in your country.