Private firms form initiative to offer accurate and affordable TB tests

Patients are to have access to more affordable and more accurate tuberculosis (TB) tests through private healthcare in India than were previously available. Until now, TB tests endorsed by the World Health Organization have been available at specially negotiated low prices only to the public sector. As a result, appropriate tests have been expensive privately and use of less accurate tests rife. Now 23 private diagnostic laboratories and other stakeholders (including industry groups such as the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry), non-governmental organisations (such as the Clinton Health Access Initiative), and academic bodies (such as the McGill International TB Centre) have formed an initiative to promote …