Ethical Issues in Tuberculosis Prevention, Care and Control

In 2013, over 9 million people fell ill and about 1.5 million people died of tuberculosis (TB). Although there have been some major achievements in controlling TB, it remains a crucial health threat, in particular to the most vulnerable populations in the developing world. The problem has been accentuated by the emergence of new drug-resistant strains of TB (MDR-TB and XDR-TB), which are especially difficult to detect and treat.

Recognizing the current lack of ethical guidance, WHO established a Task Force on Addressing Ethical Issues in TB Care and Control Programmes in August 2008. Based on an initial draft elaborated by the Task Force and broad consultations with other experts and stakeholders, a guidance document entitled "Guidance on Ethics of TB Prevention, Care and Control" was published in November 2010.