conference news

Science with impact, people with hope

From the Global TB Summit and new treatments for children and MDR-TB to innovations in funding public health and individuals painting messages of hope for a TB Free world, this was a conference with something to inspire everyone.

conference news

Awards honour outstanding achievements

Outstanding achievements in TB and lung health history spanning six decades were honoured at the conference – from The Union Medal presented to 96-year-old Denis A Mitchison to two awards recognising young, innovative researchers.

conference news

Using taxes on products that harm health to fund health promotion

In Sunday's plenary, speakers shared schemes for supporting under-funded public health programmes. For example, in India's Himachal Pradesh, tobacco control is funded at state level using revenue from fines for violating the smokefree law.

conference news

Poster sessions generate lively discussion

With close to 120 research presentations over three days, the conference offers an abundance of opportunities for learning, discussion and debate. You can search the online programme by day, type of presentation and topic.

Presentation details

conference news

"Behind the masks, we are all the same."

A common theme shared by speakers at Saturday's plenary session was that eradicating TB will require breaking down boundaries -- between the sick and the well, researchers and subjects, and even humans and other species.

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Thank you for coming!

The New Agenda that shaped our 2015 programme provided new insights and inspiration for over 4,000 delegates, a record number for The Union World Conference. We look forward to seeing you in Liverpool UK on 26-29 October 2016! Read more

Programme

December

Download the final programme

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Updates

06 Dec

Outstanding contributions to TB & lung health honoured

Awards sponsored by The Union and its partners were presented throughout the week at the plenary sessions of the 46th Union World Conference in Cape Town. Read more.

07 Dec

TB pioneer Denis Mitchison awarded The Union Medal

Prof Denis A Mitchison, one of the great pioneers of TB research in the 20th century, was awarded The Union medal at the 2015 World Conference in Cape Town.

06 Dec

Three new Union Honorary Members named

Professorss Nulda Beyers (South Africa), Donald A Enarson (Canada) and Simon Schaaf (South Africa) were named Honorary Members of the Union at the 2015 General Assembly. Honorary Member is a lifetime designation. Read more.

06 Dec

A conference where hope abounded

The largest World Conference to date, 2015 will be long remembered not only for the new scientific developments presented and the lively community activities – but most of all for the recovered patients who shared their experience and hope. Read more

06 Dec

Taxing health harming products and creating health promotion funds

Plenary session III explored how governments are helping under-funded areas of public health through taxing products that harm health and earmarking these increased revenues for specific programmes. Read more.

05 Dec

Challenges to the eradication of TB: Plenary II

Speakers at Saturday's plenary session discussed challenges ranging from community involvement to zoonotic tuberculosis in humans to the accessibility of TB medicines. Read more.

05 Dec

Symposium focused on challenge of TB in conflict-affected communities

Wars and conflict have displaced close to 60 million people. The Global Fund and International Organisation for Migration sponsored a satellite symposium on the consequences for health systems and TB control on this important issue. Read more.

05 Dec

Assessing the state of integrated TB/HIV care

It has been 27 years since the first World AIDS Day. Plenary I on Friday looked at the improvements in HIV and TB treatment since then but stressed that much more needs to be done to integrate care for those co-infected with both diseases.

04 Dec

Studies: Progress against TB hindered by faltering response to disease among key affected populations

A series of new studies on TB among incarcerated persons, bovine strains of TB found in cattle that are transmitting to humans, and TB in children show that key affected populations are facing unique risks.

04 Dec

Together to #EndTB march

Some 1,000 people joined a march to EndTB on Thursday. The protesters, who included activists, NGO representatives and people in health care, gave the Stop TB Partnership a list of demands concerning access to TB care and treatment. Read more.

04 Dec

Inaugural Session opens 46th Union World Conference

The Inaugural Session of the conference set the pace for the rest of the week with the participation of a whole range of stakeholders in public health -- from seminal researchers to recovered patients. Read more.

04 Dec

The 4th President’s Centennial Dinner held in Cape Town

Close to 200 Union supporters gathered at the Cavalli wine and stud farm in Somerset West (near Cape Town) for the 4th President's Centennial Dinner on Wednesday, 2 December. Read more.

03 Dec

Inaugural Session to be livestreamed

The Inaugural Session on Thursday at 17:30 will be live-streamed, as well as the plenary sessions on Friday through Saturday at 09:00–10:00 and the Closing Session on Sunday at 15:15.

03 Dec

New cohort study shows promise of shorter MDR-TB treatment

New findings from clinical studies presented at the conference on Thursday morning show promise for a shorter, 9-month treatment course for MDR-TB. Read more

03 Dec

March with the people: time change!

Today's march, scheduled for 10:00-11:00, has been changed to 14:00-16:00. The starting point has also changed to 14 Darling Street. Read more.

03 Dec

TB research in everyday English and local languages

In the "Research for the rest of us" series, experts will describe conference highlights in everyday English, which will be interpreted in isiXhosa and isiZulu. The sessions are Thurs at 18:30, Fri at 18:00 and Sat at 17:00 in IMBIZO Hall 4B.

02 Dec

First child-friendly TB drugs announced at press conference

TB Alliance and its partners today announced the availability of the first child-friendly TB medicines: fixed-dose combinations of existing drugs in improved formations designed for children and meeting WHO dosage guidelines. Read more.

02 Dec

Imbizo community space opens with a flourish!

Imbizo was launched on Wednesday with welcome speeches, music and collaborative mural painting. . . all just a taste of what is to come over the next four days!

02 Dec

J2J lung health training begins

The 14 journalists from around the world, who were selected to attend the National Press Foundation's Journalist-to-Journalist lung health training, began their programme in Cape Town on Tuesday.

01 Dec

Global TB Summit: Day Two

Day two of the Global TB Summit began with a site visit to Ubuntu Clinic, a facility supported by Médecins Sans Frontières, and ended with a strong endorsement of the Stop TB Partnership's Global Plan to End TB 2016–2020: The Paradigm Shift. Read more.

30 Nov

Science with impact, people with hope

Awards honour outstanding achievements

Using taxes on products that harm health to fund health promotion

Poster sessions generate lively discussion

"Behind the masks, we are all the same."

Thank you for coming!

Programme

December

t#UnionConf

Updates

Outstanding contributions to TB & lung health honoured

TB pioneer Denis Mitchison awarded The Union Medal

Three new Union Honorary Members named

A conference where hope abounded

Taxing health harming products and creating health promotion funds

Challenges to the eradication of TB: Plenary II

Symposium focused on challenge of TB in conflict-affected communities

Assessing the state of integrated TB/HIV care

Studies: Progress against TB hindered by faltering response to disease among key affected populations

Together to #EndTB march

Inaugural Session opens 46th Union World Conference

The 4th President’s Centennial Dinner held in Cape Town

Inaugural Session to be livestreamed

New cohort study shows promise of shorter MDR-TB treatment

March with the people: time change!

TB research in everyday English and local languages

First child-friendly TB drugs announced at press conference

Imbizo community space opens with a flourish!

J2J lung health training begins

Global TB Summit: Day Two

Global TB Summit: Day One

South Africa’s Deputy President Ramaphosa to give Inaugural lecture

Global TB Summit on 28–30 November begins

TB/HIV and tobacco control "roadmaps" now available