UCL plays key role in Lancet TB series

UCL's Professor Alimuddin Zumla is the lead guru of the new Lancet TB Series linked to the Lancet TB Observatory, a new global initiative to address key issues around TB treatment and diagnosis. The launch was held at the World Health Organisation (WHO) in Geneva on 18 May. In this Q&A Professor Alimuddin Zumla (UCL Division of Infection and Immunity) tells us why it is so important that this disease remains on the global health agenda and his commitment to keep it there. The Lancet Series is highly regarded across the world as a set of 'state of the art' reviews in specialist fields. All conclude with a 'call to action' article which calls upon governments, donors, and funding agencies to support innovations and improvements in a particular field to achieve better global health services and treatments. The Lancet has published several such series, including one on child maltreatment and another on maternal (both launched by scientists from the UCL Institute of Child Health), and decided in October 2008 to cover Tuberculosis. TB is one of the top three killer infectious diseases worldwide with HIV/AIDS and malaria and kills 1.8 million people every year, despite the fact that cheap and effective treatment has been available for over 60 years.