Evening Telegraph (First Edition)
University at forefront of bid to wipe out TB
FIFE is at the forefront of the world’s efforts to eradicate tuberculosis once and for all.
Scientists at St Andrews University, along with those at University College London, are leading international work on groundbreaking advances toward finding new tuberculosis (TB) drugs that are more effective, simpler to use, safer and cheaper.
Tuberculosis is still found in every country in the world and is the single biggest infectious disease killer of our time, affecting more than 10 million people and claiming the lives of around 1.4 million people each year.
It is becoming more and more resistant to current treatments, some of which are more than 50 years old and consist of multiple drugs and injections that are unbearable for patients and puts already overburdened health systems in poorer countries under greater strain.
St Andrews scientists are testing a new, simpler drug combination for patients — cutting the number of pills to just three — which could give them a much better chance of survival.
Professor Steven Gillespie, who leads the infection group at the university’s School of Medicine, said he believes that UK-supported scientific research being carried out on our doorstep is bringing society closer to a new solution.
He said: “It’s essential we try to find new treatments because TB is going to be a major problem in the future if we don’t develop new drugs.
“The World Health Organisation has set a goal for TB eradication and I think it is feasible because humans are, effectively, the only real source of the disease.
“If we can find good, safe and short treatments, I can see a time where we can interrupt transmission and eradicate the disease.”