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HCA Pulmonary Disease Services, Tuberculosis (TB) Testing, Treatment and Control

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TB/Pulmonary Disease
General Information

(714) 834-8796
 

TB General Information

While U.S. tuberculosis cases have decreased overall in recent years, it is still a serious public health problem in some communities. Ten to 15 million people in this country are infected with tuberculosis. One in 10 of those currently infected – more than one million people – will eventually develop active tuberculosis and could spread it to others.

We cannot allow policymakers to relax now that tuberculosis rates are declining in this country. The numbers are dropping precisely because we have been investing in tuberculosis control. If this support erodes, we face an inevitable increase in tuberculosis cases. The next time around, re-establishing control is likely to be far more costly.

Well-funded programs and a strong TB-control infrastructure will protect the U.S. against tuberculosis strains that resist traditional drug treatment. Drug-resistant tuberculosis is a huge problem in many parts of the world and has emerged in U.S. as well. Poorly funded, poorly managed programs will result in increased drug-resistant TB.

Global TB

The global tuberculosis problem is a U.S. problem. More than 40 percent of newly diagnosed cases in the United States occur among foreign-born individuals.
The United States cannot win its battle with tuberculosis until the world does. To fully eliminate TB in the U.S., we need greater U.S. support for international TB-control efforts.

The American Lung Association and American Thoracic Society urge Congress to significantly increase U.S. support for international tuberculosis-control programs. Specifically, we are wholeheartedly supporting legislation introduced by Rep. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) and Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA) that would increase the federal budget for international TB-control programs from $25 million in FY2000 to $100 million in FY2001.

The American Lung Association and American Thoracic Society are deeply involved in efforts to fight tuberculosis on a global basis and are founding partners in the international STOP TB Initiative. STOP TB is analyzing current tuberculosis-control efforts; encouraging greater government commitment to tuberculosis control at the international, regional and country levels; and working to ensure universal access to high-quality anti-tuberculosis drugs.

The U.S. has a vested interest in becoming a good global citizen through participation in the STOP TB Initiative and a major international STOP TB event – a Ministerial Conference of high-level representatives from countries around the world March 22-24 in Amsterdam. The conference will seek a better understanding of the social and economic impact of tuberculosis and assess how effective tuberculosis programs can contain the epidemic and contribute to overall development.

We’ve seen successes in fighting tuberculosis here and elsewhere around the world, but World TB Day is no time to celebrate. There is no victory to proclaim – yet. We must renew our commitment to eradicating this terrible disease. Through a strong partnership of public health advocates, government and international interests, we can and will win the war against tuberculosis.
 

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