Tuberculosis Vaccine Accelerator Council Initiative - WHO

In 2021, approximately 10.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.6 million died, according to WHO. Jan. 17, 2023.

Published 17 January 2023

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A high-level round table on tuberculosis was held at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced Tuesday at the World Economic Forum Davos 2023 a plan to create a new Tuberculosis Vaccine Accelerator Council.

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The mechanism should accelerate coordination among funders, global agencies, governments and end users to identify and remove barriers to TB vaccine development.

In this way, the Tuberculosis Vaccine Accelerator Council will facilitate the licensing and use of new effective TB vaccines.

The Director-General made the announcement considering the urgency of stepping up vaccine development efforts against the disease as the epidemic shows no signs of slowing down.

Agradezco al doctor Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros), director general de la Organización Mundial de la Salud (@WHO), por esta reunión bilateral en el marco del @wef, que nos permitió conversar sobre proyectos que ayuden a fortalecer el sistema de salud global.#WEF23 pic.twitter.com/IAav2l5Lt5
— Raquel Peña (@RaquelPenaVice) January 17, 2023

I thank Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization, for this bilateral meeting within the framework of the World Economic Forum, which allowed us to discuss projects that help strengthen the global health system.

Currently, the so-called BCG vaccine is the only one licensed against tuberculosis. According to the Director General, there are at least 16 candidate vaccines under development, but none has been licensed.

Tedros Adhanom said the BCG vaccine "offers moderate efficacy in preventing severe forms of tuberculosis in infants and young children," however, "it does not adequately protect adolescents and adults, who account for about 90% of cases worldwide."

In 2021, approximately 10.6 million people fell ill with TB and 1.6 million died, according to WHO, which is calling for political priority and adequate funding in the fight against TB, such as that allocated to the COVID-19 pandemic.