NEWS

Statement: Treatment Action Group Joins Collective Call Denouncing the Trump Administration’s Dangerous Finalized Anti-Immigrant Rule
August 19, 2019 – Treatment Action Group (TAG) strongly opposes the administration’s finalized rule “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds.” This rule, which goes into effect on October 15, 2019, dangerously expands the definition of immigrants who are ineligible for admission into the U.S. or adjustment of status to include those who seek basic public services for health, nutrition, and housing.

Research Toward a Cure
August 16, 2019 – A regularly updated listing of clinical trials and observational studies related to the research effort to cure HIV infection.

2019 Pipeline Report Pediatric TB Section Released
August 15, 2019 – We’re pleased to launch the pleased to launch the Pediatric Tuberculosis (TB) section of our  2019 Pipeline Report. This section of our annual review provides an overview of research and development of innovations for diagnosing, preventing, treating TB in children.

TAG Statement on U.S. FDA Approval of Pretomanid
August 14, 2019 – Treatment Action Group welcomes simpler, shorter treatment options for people with some forms of drug-resistant tuberculosis, while urging additional research and equitable access.

TAG Public Comment on Proposed Rule to Remove Section 1557
August 13, 2019 – TAG submitted public comment to the Department of Health and Human Services in response to the proposed rule to remove Section 1557 healthcare protections for LGBTQ people, those seeking reproductive health services, and those with limited English proficiency.

TAG Comments Delivered at FDA Public Meeting on LPAD
August 9, 2019 – Read the comments TAG presented at the FDA Public Meeting on Limited Population Pathway for Antibacterial and Antifungal Drugs.

Letter Regarding the Appointment of a New Executive Director at UNAIDS
August 7, 2019 – TAG, along with 60 other member organizations of the Global AIDS Policy Partnership, signed on to a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations regarding the search for the new Executive Director of UNAIDS.

TAG, PrEP4All Joint Comment on DESCOVY for FDA Hearing, 8-7-19
August 7, 2019 – TAG and PrEP4All submitted this joint comment to the FDA Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee on August 7, 2019 about the supplemental new drug application for DESCOVY for an indication for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

2019 Pipeline Report
July 19, 2019 – Our annual review provides an overview of research and development of innovations for diagnosing, preventing, treating, and curing HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), and tuberculosis (TB).

Statement: Treatment Action Group Applauds U.S. Preventive Services Task Force “A” Ratings for Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis and HIV Screening
June 20, 2019 – TAG recently released this statement strongly supporting the final “A” ratings issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force regarding PrEP for individuals highly vulnerable to infection and HIV screening for all Americans between the ages of 15 and 65, including pregnant women.

TAG and 55 Allied Organizations Denounce the Trump Administration's Ban on Fetal Tissue Research
June 14, 2019 – Following the announcement of the Trump Administration's policy banning federal funding for research using fetal tissue, TAG and 55 other organizations signed and sent a letter to HHS leadership urging a reconsideration of the ban and the reinstatement of funding for HIV/AIDS research affected by the ban.

Written Senate Testimony for FY 2020 for the CDC's Domestic TB Elimination Program and Division of Global HIV and TB
June 10, 2019 – Testimony for the CDC’s domestic TB elimination program and the Division of Global HIV and TB, submitted to the U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee.

Written Senate Testimony for FY 2020 for the USAID Global TB Program
June 10, 2019 – Written testimony for USAID’s Global TB Program under the Dept. of State, submitted to the U.S. Senate State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs (SFOPS) Appropriations Subcommittee.

Written Senate Testimony for FY 2020 for HIV Research Funding at NIAID and OAR
June 10, 2019 – Written testimony for HIV research at NIAID and Office of AIDS Research at the National Institutes of Health, submitted to the U.S. Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Appropriations Subcommittee.

TAG Testimony to the FDA on New Drug Application for Pretomanid Tablets
June 7, 2019 – On June 6, 2019, TAG submitted testimony to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Antimicrobial Drugs Advisory Committee on New Drug Application (NDA) 212862 for pretomanid, proposed as part of a combination regimen with bedaquiline and linezolid (the Nix-TB regimen) in adults for the treatment of pulmonary extensively drug resistant and treatment-intolerant or non-responsive multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (TB).

Follow-Up Letter: Serious Concerns RE: Errors in the WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Drug-Resistant TB
June 5, 2019 – Earlier in 2019, TAG and allied civil society organizations sent an open letter to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, in which we raised shared concerns about urgent and specific technical errors in the WHO consolidated guidelines on drug resistant tuberculosis treatment released in March 2019. We didn’t receive an adequate response to our original letter, so this follow-up letter was sent today.

The High Cost of PrEP: Updates on Community and Health Department Efforts to Get Affordable TDF/FTC (Truvada) to Those Who Need It Most
May 22, 2019 – This June 5 free webinar will give an overview of the recent PrEP pricing advocacy that has taken place, and provide information on how webinar attendees can get more involved in ongoing community efforts to make PrEP affordable. Sign up today!

JOB OPPORTUNITY: TB Project Officer
May 21, 2019 – We’re seeking a highly motivated and organized TB Project Officer to support TAG’s advocacy portfolio on tuberculosis (TB). This position will report to the TB Project Co-Director, and be based in New York City.

TAG Remembers Andy Velez (1939—2019)
May 20, 2019 – On May 14, 2019, HIV/AIDS activism lost one of its true giants. Andy Velez has been an unwavering hero to people around the world affected by the virus, and a mentor to advocates throughout his over three decades of dedicated service. No words can capture the impact of the loss of this great man.

TAG Submitted Testimony to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform Hearing on “HIV Prevention Drug: Billions in Corporate Profits After Millions in Taxpayer Investments”
May 16, 2019 – TAG submitted testimony for the record for the hearing, "HIV Prevention Drug: Billions in Corporate Profits after Millions in Taxpayer Investments" at the request of members of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.

TAG Comments in Response to Proposed Rulemaking on Basic Health Program
May 9, 2019 – TAG sent these comments to Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the Department of Health and Human Services, regarding a proposed funding change to the Basic Health Program (BHP).

Letter Addressing Conflict of Interest Created by J&J Donations of Bedaquiline in India
May 3, 2019 – TAG is one of the signatories on this April 29, 2019 civil society letter that was sent to India’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare concerning Johnson & Johnson’s ad-hoc donations of the TB drug bedaquiline – a very important new drug in the treatment of MDR-TB.

Nothing About Us Without Us – TAGline, May 2019
May 2, 2019 – This TAGline is all about the importance of community engagement in research to end the epidemics of HIV, HCV, and TB. As this edition’s cover shows, protestors at the “Storm the NIH” demonstration and die-in in May 1990 demanded political will and funding for research, and equitable access to treatment for HIV.

Letter Addressing the Global Health and Human Rights Crisis Among People Who Use Drugs
May 1, 2019 – While civil society and global experts attended the 26^th International Harm Reduction Conference in Portugal, 329 nonprofit organizations – including TAG – called on the international community to address the ongoing global health and human rights crisis among people who use drugs.

An Activist’s Guide to Rifapentine for the Treatment of TB Infection
April 30, 2019 – Our publication, An Activist’s Guide to Rifapentine, details important efficacy, safety, and access information on rifapentine, a game-changing drug for treating tuberculosis (TB) infection in order to prevent active TB disease. Rifapentine is the backbone of newer regimens for preventing TB that are shorter and easier to complete than the older standard of care (called isoniazid preventive therapy).

Advocates Raise Serious Concerns About Errors in the WHO Guidelines for the Treatment of Drug-Resistant TB
April 26, 2019 – On April 23, 2019, TAG and allied civil society organizations sent an open letter to Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), raising shared concerns about urgent and specific technical errors in the WHO consolidated guidelines on drug resistant tuberculosis treatment released in March 2019.

Letter to FDA Regarding Application for Descovy as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV
April 16, 2019 – Yesterday TAG and PrEP4All sent this letter outlining and expressing our serious concerns about Gilead’s supplemental New Drug Application for Descovy (FTC/TAF) as HIV-1 preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Mark Harrington Senate Briefing Transcript, 3-28-19
TAG’s executive director Mark Harrington spoke at the U.S. Senate briefing held on March 28, 2019, and you can read his full remarks here.

TB LAM Testing Briefs
April 10, 2019 – Our two briefs, The LAM Test: Ensuring Scaled-Up, Expanded TB LAM Testing for People Living With Advanced HIV for Country Programs and The LAM Test: Ensuring Scaled-Up, Expanded TB LAM Testing for People Living With Advanced HIV for Donors, offer scientific evidence of the benefits of TB LAM testing, share an analysis of PEPFAR and Global Fund grants for the inclusion of TB LAM testing, and outline potential steps that countries and donors can take to make sure national TB programs can easily access this life-saving test.

Written Testimony for FY 2020 for the CDC's Domestic TB Elimination Program
April 8, 2019 – This written testimony for Fiscal Year 2020 for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) domestic TB elimination program was submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Subcommittee.

Written Testimony for FY 2020 Appropriations for NIH HIV/AIDS Research Agenda
April 8, 2019 – This written testimony for Fiscal Year 2020 for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) was submitted to the U.S. House of Representatives Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education (LHHS) Subcommittee.

New HCV Fact Sheets
March 29, 2019 – We just posted factsheets on sofosbuvir/daclatasvir and Mavyret, and each one is available in English and in Spanish.

Advocates Must Press the CDC to Enforce its PrEP Patents in Order to End HIV as an Epidemic
March 28, 2019 – TAG statement calling for advocates to stand with PrEP4All in demanding CDC enforce its PrEP patents. 

Join TAG on March 31st in Los Angeles to Honor Liza Minnelli
March 27, 2019 – Please join us for this wonderful event, which will be held at the home of TAG board member, Kevin Goetz.

Letter Asking to Include TB in President’s Plan to End HIV Epidemic
March 27, 2019 – Read the letter submitted by TAG and partners in the Tuberculosis Roundtable.

Gene Editing in HIV Research
March 21, 2019 – A TAG issue brief. 

Letter Urging Support at UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs for Measures to Prevent & Treat Hep C Among People Who Use Drugs
March 20, 2019 – TAG and our community partners submitted letters urging the US Delegation to the UN Commission on Narcotic Drugs to express support for draft resolution E/CN.7/2019/L.4.

Pipeline for Gonorrhea, Chlamydia, and Syphilis
March 20, 2019 – A new report on the sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatment and prevention research “pipeline” points to serious gaps in the development of new tools to address a growing epidemic in the U.S.  The report, released today by TAG and supported by NCSD, provides an assessment of the current research pipeline and calls for a major new investment in STI research.

TAG Testimony to House SFOPS Appropriations Subcommittee
March 15, 2019 – Treatment Action Group (TAG), on behalf of the Tuberculosis (TB) Roundtable coalition, submitted this testimony to the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations, Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations and Related Programs for consideration in fiscal year (FY) 2020 appropriations.

ANEA Statement on the President’s Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Proposal
March 15, 2019 – The Act Now End AIDS coalition (Act Now End AIDS) expresses deep disappointment with the President’s Fiscal Year 2020 (FY 20) budget proposal for its failure to provide the fiscal resources, policy leadership, and political vision needed to end the HIV epidemic in the United States.

Treatment Action Group Statement on the President’s Fiscal Year 2020 Budget Proposal
March 13, 2019 – Treatment Action Group (TAG) opposes the President's FY 2020 budget proposal, which makes a mockery of the administration's purported strategy to end AIDS in the United States over the next decade.

Statement from Treatment Action Group on FDA Priority Review of TB Alliance’s New Anti-TB Drug Pretomanid
March 11, 2019 – Treatment Action Group (TAG) welcomes the exciting news of a novel tuberculosis (TB) drug entering priority review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).  Pretomanid represents only the fourth new TB drug to go through stringent regulatory review in the past half a century, and the first developed by a not-for-profit organization.

Letters of Support – Protecting Equitable Health for all New Yorkers, Including Undocumented Adults and Those with Temporary Protected Status (TPS)
March 5, 2019 – TAG submitted the following letters of support to the NY State assembly Health Committee Members to support Assembly Bills A.3316 (S. 1809) and A.5974 (S. 3900).

Treatment Action Group Statement on New HIV Remission Case from Stem Cell Transplantation Study
March 4, 2019 - TAG welcomes the report of a possible long-term HIV remission case with similarities to that of Timothy Ray Brown, the lone individual so far considered cured of HIV infection.

Pre-CROI Community HIV Cure Research Workshop 2019
March 3, 2019 - Presentations and video from a pre-conference community event co-sponsored by TAG, the AIDS Treatment Activists Coalition, AVAC, the DARE Community Advisory Board, the defeatHIV Community Advisory Board, European AIDS Treatment Group and Project Inform. 

MDR-TB Treatment Guideline Communication from NYC DOHMH
February 28, 2019 – In January, TAG attended a NYC Bureau of TB Control conference where attendees discussed ways to revise and update present treatment of patients with multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB). Read their recommendations in the press release about the conference.

EATAN HIV/AIDS & Hepatitis C Community Summit Report
February 25, 2019 – In July, 2018, The European African Treatment Advocates Network (EATAN), in conjunction with TAG, held a Community Summit in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. EATAN focuses on supporting the medical and social needs of African migrant populations with HIV, HCV and other chronic health conditions.

Closing the Gap in Tuberculosis Research and Development Funding Briefs
February 20, 2019  – In our two briefs, Closing the Gap in Tuberculosis Research and Development Funding: Actions for U.S. Government Executive Agencies and Actions for U.S. Congress, we detail how a funding increase of 0.1 percent, based on "fair share" of research capacity, would close the funding gap in TB R&D, catalyze new public health tools we need to create positive health outcomes among communities vulnerable to TB worldwide.

TAG and Allies Rally for Affordable HIV Prevention Medication
February 20, 2019 – On Monday February 18, TAG, some of our allies, and a number of elected officials attended a rally in New York City calling on the National Institutes of Health to exercise its march-in rights and break Gildead’s patent on Truvada.

Statement on President Trump’s State of the Union Remarks on Ending the U.S. HIV Epidemic by 2030 from the Act Now: End AIDS Coalition
February 6, 2019 – This statement was released last night by ANEA in response to the President’s SOTU announcement.

Verbal Comment to the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria
February 5, 2019 – On January 31, 2019, TAG delivered a verbal comment at a public meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria (PACCARB).

Public Comment on NIDA Strategic Plan for Research at the Intersection of HIV/AIDS and Substance Use, Misuse, and Addiction
January 25, 2019 – TAG recently submitted a public comment to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institute of Health to inform a strategic plan it is developing to support research at the intersection of HIV and drug use.

WEBINAR: Good COPs or Bad COPs 2.0: Advocacy to Ensure the Prioritization of TB in 2019 PEPFAR Country Operational Plans
January 24, 2019 – This webinar, held on Wednesday, January 23, provided key information regarding the PEPFAR COPs process and timelines, and how to strategize and engage in PEPFAR COPs planning to address and strengthen our global response to TB through PEPFAR, and introduce tools to galvanize advocacy efforts.

Public Comment to the FDA on Identifying the Root Causes of Drug Shortages and Finding Enduring Solutions for TB Drugs in the U.S. 
January 22, 2019 – TAG recently submitted this public comment on Identifying the Root Causes of Drug Shortages and Finding Enduring Solutions, highlighting the need to mitigate national supply challenges and shortages of critical TB drugs.

TAG and 75 Other Orgs Send Fetal Tissue Research Letter To Alex Azar
January 14, 2019 – Following news of the Trump Administration's abrupt review of HIV treatment and cure research using fetal tissue, TAG and 75 other organizations signed and sent a letter to HHS Secretary Azar on December 21, 2018.

Public Comment on USPSTF Draft Recommendations for PrEP and HIV Screening
January 14, 2019 – The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently released draft recommendations regarding HIV screening for all Americans ages 15-65, including pregnant women, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for individuals highly vulnerable to HIV infection.

WEBINAR: Cutting Costs by Including Cheaper ARVs on the New York State Medicaid Preferred Drug List for treatment, PEP, and potentially PrEP
January 7, 2019 – Please join Treatment Action Group and Housing Works on January 17^th from 10am to 11:15am for a webinar discussing current advocacy to cut costs by scaling up the use of Mylan’s Cimduo (TDF/3TC) and Symfi (EFV/TDF/3TC) as part of New York State Medicaid.

Comment in Response to Proposed Rulemaking: Regulation to Require Drug Pricing Transparency
December 18, 2018 – On October 18, 2018, the Trump Administration proposed regulations at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to require publication of the list price of any prescription drug or biological product paid by Medicare or Medicaid in direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising. While TAG applauds the administration's attention to curbing drastic increases in drug prices, list price transparency in DTC advertisements alone will not be a sufficient measure to bring necessary change.

December 2018 TAG Update
December 13, 2018 – We accomplished some great things in 2018, and they were made possible by our generous donors. Download your own copy of TAG Update to read all about them.

Fall, 2018 TAGline: Bringing Down the House on Intellectual Property and Access
December 11, 2018 – This issue of TAGline dives deep into the rhetoric and realities of intellectual property  (IP)  protections  and  the current wave of political shenanigans on critical drugs, surfacing the fundamental lies and vested interests that deny medication to those in need in the United States and around the world.

Comment in Response to Proposed Rulemaking: Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds
December 7, 2018 – On October 10, 2018, the Trump Administration proposed sweeping regulations that would put the health and wellbeing of millions of families at risk. TAG is strongly opposed  to these proposed changes; read the comment we submitted on December 7.

Campaign for Sofosbuvir's 5th Birthday
December 6, 2018 – People living with hepatitis C, access to medicines activists, and the medical community around the world “marked” the fifth birthday of the first all-oral, one dose per day cure sofosbuvir (Sovaldi®), launched by Gilead Sciences. However, despite being a breakthrough cure, the vast majority of people still haven't been treated…

Hepatitis Cure, Sofosbuvir, Turns 5 Years Old: The Vast Majority of People Still Have Not Been Treated
December 6, 2018 – Advocates scandalized that Gilead's hepatitis C profits have raked in US$25.8 billion, which could have treated everyone while still earning US$16 billions in profits. 

Tuberculosis Research Funding Trends 2005 – 2017
December 3, 2018 – Global funding for tuberculosis (TB) research climbed to a previously unreported high of USD $772 million in 2017, according to a report released today by Treatment Action Group (TAG) and the United Nations-hosted Stop TB Partnership.

Treatment Action Group Statement on the Reported Birth of Twins with Edited CCR5 Genes
November 26, 2018 – Treatment Action Group (TAG) decries the claimed use of CRISPR technology to edit genes for the HIV co-receptor CCR5 in human embryos for implantation. 

TAG Comment on Penalties Relating to the ClinicalTrials.gov Data Bank
November 20 – Read TAG's comment on The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Notice: Civil Money Penalties Relating to the ClinicalTrials.gov Data Bank; Draft Guidance for Food and Drug Administration Staff, Responsible Parties, and Submitters of Certain Applications and Submissions to the FDA. 

Community Recommendations for Clinical Research Involving Antiretroviral Treatment Interruptions in Adults
November 14, 2018 – The research effort to develop a cure for HIV infection includes clinical studies in which people with HIV are asked to temporarily interrupt antiretroviral therapy. Analytical treatment interruptions (ATIs), as they are called, go against the current standard of care and may pose risks. TAG has generated an updated set of community recommendations on the use of ATIs in research, with the aim of contributing to the discussion regarding maximizing safety and minimizing risk for participants.

OPEN APPEAL: URGENT NEED TO ADDRESS THE GLOBAL FUND PROCUREMENT CLIFF FOR TB
October 26, 2018 — The immense worldwide investment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria (GFATM) has proven effective to ensure increased access to an affordable, high-quality, and sustained supply of TB drugs.

Rapid Shift From Global To National Purchase of TB Drugs Increases Risk of Stockouts and Use of Drugs of Unknown Quality
October 26, 2018 — Global activists at the 49th Union Conference on Lung Health in The Hague opened up a pop-up TB drug warehouse to warn about the dire public health consequences of a rushed shift from Global Fund supported pooled procurement of tuberculosis (TB) drugs and other health products to domestic funding and national procurement systems.

Activists Urge National TB Programs and Treatment Providers To Discontinue Use of Harmful Injectable Agents in TB Treatment
October 25, 2018 – Activists from around the world called on National TB Programs to discontinue routine use of harmful injectable agents in treatment regimens for drug-resistant tuberculosis, in favor of newer, safer World Health Organization (WHO)-recommended treatments.

Activists Call on Countries and Donors To Immediately Scale Up Use of Life-Saving TB LAM Test
October 25, 2018 – On the first day of the 49th Union World Conference on Lung Health, activists from around the globe kicked off a week of actions by calling on countries, development partners, and donors to end the unacceptable rates of death caused by tuberculosis (TB) in people living with HIV by immediately scaling up the use of TB LAM testing.

National TB Checklist
October 19, 2018 – Access to quality diagnosis, treatment, and prevention for tuberculosis (TB) is a human right. Are the necessary tests, treatments, vaccines, services and policies available where you live or work? Our new checklist lays out simply the core elements of an adequate TB response.

Reality Check: The Price of Bedaquiline
October 16, 2018 – Bedaquiline is now recommended as a core part of drug-resistant TB treatment, but price is a major concern to ensuring all who need treatment with bedaquiline receive it. The public has made significant investments in the development and introduction of bedaquiline, which should be reflected in the price.

Right to Science Submission, October 2018
October 16, 2018 – The right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress and its applications is a fundamental human right and one of the central pillars of TAG's advocacy to promote TB research and access to its benefits. The right is enshrined in Article 27 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and further articulated in Article 15 of the International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).

TB, Human Rights, and Universal Periodic Review
October 12, 2018 – Universal Periodic Review (UPR) is a process through which the human rights record of each United Nations member state is reviewed by other countries every five years. As a civil society organization, TAG regularly writes and submits these UPR reports analyzing the TB situations in UN member states, and you can review our UPR reports on this page.

An Activists' Guide to Bedaquiline
October 12, 2018 – This guide — updated from the original version put out by Treatment Action Group in 2013 — summarizes updated efficacy, safety, and access information about bedaquiline, an essential medication in the treatment of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB).

TAG Cofounder Gregg Gonsalves Receives 2018 MacArthur Fellowship
October 4, 2018 – Treatment Action Group congratulates TAG cofounder Gregg Gonsalves and Yale University Assistant Professor Gregg Gonsalves on receiving a 2018 MacArthur Fellowship.

Activists: Call On Your Countries To Use BDQ-Based Regimens to Treat TB
September 28, 2018 – Just download this easy-to-use letter template from GCTA, TAG, and DR-TB STAT.

What's Missing from the UN Political Declaration on Tuberculosis?
September 26, 2018 – World leaders have gathered for the UN High Level Meeting to ratify a plan to fight TB – but TAG is one of organizations who signed on to a statement detailing what we think is missing from that official statement.

Research Priorities for Pediatric Tuberculosis
September 24, 2018 – An estimated one million children develop tuberculosis (TB) disease each year, and a further 7.5 million are exposed and in need of evaluation and treatment to mitigate the risk of developing TB. Yet, existing approaches to prevent, diagnose and treat TB either do not meet the needs of children or are not available where they are needed the most.

Funding for TB Research: Recent Momentum Must Inspire Bold Commitments
September 24, 2018 – In advance of the first-ever United Nations High-Level Meeting on Tuberculosis (TB), a new brief from Treatment Action Group (TAG) — Funding for TB Research: Recent Momentum Must Inspire Bold Commitments — shows that global funding for TB research and development (R&D) reached a new high of USD $767.8 million in 2017.

Research in Action Awards 2018
September 18, 2018 – TAG is honored to host our annual Research in Action Awards on November 15 here in New York City. Please join us for this powerful experience, which will celebrate our 26 years of activism and progress. We're honoring Journalist Masha Gessen, Dr. Margaret  Hamburg, and Film Producer Joy Tomchin, and acclaimed American artist Zoe Leonard has donated this year's very special limited art edition. Get your tickets now!

Exciting Changes on the TAG Team
September 4, 2018 – Read Mark Harrington’s piece on very important staff additions and changes that will have a significant impact in TAG’s TB, HCV, HIV, policy and development work.

Open Letter from Civil Society to the Regulatory Authority in South Africa
August 23, 2018 – in an open letter to the South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA), TAG joined South African and global civil society partners in calling attention to the urgent need to register essential medicines for the treatment and prevention of tuberculosis in South Africa.

Webinar: Implementing an Injectable-Free Regimen for Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis
August 22, 2018 – Treatment Action Group (TAG), the Global Tuberculosis Community Advisory Board (CAB), the DR-TB Scale-Up Treatment Action Team (DR-TB STAT), and TB Proof hosted this webinar on Thursday, August 16, 2018 to discuss the evidence for and importance of using bedaquiline-based, injectable-free regimens for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB).

The TB CAB and TAG welcome WHO recommendation of injectable-free regimens for the treatment of drug-resistant TB
August 17, 2018 – Treatment Action Group (TAG) and the Global Tuberculosis Community Advisory Board (TB CAB) have issued a response to the World Health Organization (WHO) Rapid Communication announcing key changes to its treatment guidelines for multidrug- and rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB).

U.S. TB and Access to Medicines Stakeholder Letter to U.S. Amb. Nikki Haley on HLM Declaration Negotiations
August 8, 2018 – In response to the reopening of negotiations on the TB High-Level Meeting (HLM) political declaration, a coalition of U.S.-based civil society stakeholders have submitted a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Nikki Haley, urging a diplomatic solution to the contentious provisions on access to medicines.

Comment in Opposition to Citizenship Question on 2020 U.S. Census
August 3, 2018 – As a member of New York Counts 2020, Treatment Action Group submitted this comment to express strong opposition to the addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 U.S. Census form. 

TAG Applauds New York Governor for Committing to Statewide Hepatitis C Elimination Task Force, Action Puts NY at Forefront of Hepatitis C Elimination Efforts in the US
July 27, 2018, New York, NY –  In major step forward, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo delivered on his earlier commitment to eliminate hepatitis C virus (HCV) with today’s announcement of his intention to appoint a statewide Hepatitis C Elimination Task Force.

Migrants’ Inclusion Central to Achieving HIV and Hepatitis C Targets by 2030
July 26, 2018, Amsterdam, The Netherlands – The European African Treatment Advocates Network (EATAN), in partnership with Treatment Action Group (TAG) and other migrant-focused organizations, hosted the European African HIV & Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Community Summit 2018.

Additional Translations of Two TB Activist's Guides
July 24, 2018 – Spanish translations of An Activist’s Guide to Tuberculosis Diagnostic Tools and An Activist’s Guide to Tuberculosis Drugs are now available.

Activists Call on Countries and Donors to Immediately Scale Up Use of Life-Saving TB LAM Test
July 22, 2018 – At the TB 2018 pre-conference held on Sunday 22 July 2018, before the International AIDS Conference in Amsterdam, activists from around the globe called on their countries, development partners, and donors, to end the unacceptable death rates caused by TB in people living with HIV by immediately scaling up the use of TB LAM testing.

Strengthening TB Research in NIAID's Tuberculosis Strategic Plan
July 17, 2018 – Treatment Action Group (TAG) submitted comments to the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) in response to a public request for information (RFI) to inform NIAID's Tuberculosis Strategic Plan on supporting TB research and development (R&D).

White House and Congress Must Boldly Address Drug Pricing and Ensure Access to Critical HIV, HCV, and TB Medications
July 16, 2018 – Treatment Action Group (TAG), NASTAD (National Alliance of State & Territorial AIDS Directors) and HIVMA (HIV Medicine Association join together in submitting collaborative comments today in response to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) public request for information (RFI) on the agency’s Blueprint to Lower Drug Prices and Reduce Out-of-Pocket Costs.

Activists Call on Johnson & Johnson to Drop the Price of Bedaquiline
July 12, 2018 – TAG and activist colleagues expressed concern that the high price of bedaquiline — a crucially important drug for treating drug-resistant TB and one that is now being used in South Africa to replace the hearing-loss causing injectable drugs — will limit its uptake. The activists called on Johnson & Johnson, the maker of bedaquiline, to drop the price in all markets to $32 a month or lower (no more than $192 for six months), and  develop further volume-based price reductions at pre-set benchmarks, to both allow for maximal affordability and further incentivize rapid uptake of bedaquiline. 

Mark Harrington of TAG and Dr. Demetre Daskalakis of NYC Health Dept. Respond to NY Times Opinion Piece About PrEP
July 5, 2018 – Read Mark and Demetre's response to The New York Times June 26 opinion piece, "The End of Safe Gay Sex?"

Videos from a TB Research Briefing for UN Missions, “The Vital Role of Research for TB Elimination"
July 5, 2018 – This briefing, held in New York City on June 4, 2018 and hosted by Treatment Action Group, Médecins Sans Frontières, the Stop TB Partnership, the Union, in partnership with the the Permanent Missions of Brazil and India to the United Nations, the World Health Organization and the United Nations Development Programme, to provide information and an opportunity for discussion on the importance of investing in the full spectrum of TB research and adopting principles to guide research to ensure efficiency and equitable access.

TAG Welcomes Price Reductions For TB Medicines
June 19, 2018 – Countries and donors must do more to ensure all people with TB have access; further price reductions for newer medicines required.

Sign-On Letter: Advocacy to End Peace Corps HIV Dismissals
May 15, 2018 – Sign our letter to Dr. Josephine Olsen, Director of the Peace Corps, about their policies and practices regarding volunteers newly diagnosed with HIV.

Webinar: Ending the Epidemic - Building Effective Collaboration between Community Advocates and Health Departments
May 15, 2018 – Register now for this free webinar on May 31.

Affordable Medicines Now Conference: June 27–29, 2018
Affordable Medicines Now is a training conference designed to build skills, knowledge and community among the activists who power the movement for affordable medicines at the state, federal, and international levels.

Tools To Help Support Activists in Engaging National Policy Makers on TB
May 3, 2018 – We just added two great new tools: a brief on TB R&D needs and key asks, and a brief on pediatric TB needs and key asks.

Webinar: Ending the Epidemic - Update on Implementing the New York State Blueprint
April 25, 2018 – On April 13th, 2018 TAG and Housing Works hosted a discussion with New York EtE leadership to review recent successes in implementing the Blueprint, assess policy advocacy for the coming year, and explore plans to address shortcomings. All the webinar materials are available for download now.

Now Available in Spanish: Training Manual for Treatment Advocates: Hepatitis C Virus & Coinfection with HIV
April 4, 2018 – You can now download a Spanish version of our Training Manual for Treatment Activists: Hepatitis C and HIV Coinfection!

TAGline Spring 2018
Bend the Curves: Activism and the Elimination of HIV, HCV, and TB