News 2026

The conference was organized by the Tuberculosis Network European Trials Group (TBnet), a non-governmental organization in the field of tuberculosis based at the Research Center Borstel in Germany. It was conducted in collaboration with the WHO Regional Office for Europe. In their opening remarks, Dr. Hans Kluge, WHO Regional Director for Europe, and Professor Emil Ceban, Minister of Health of the Republic of Moldova, highlighted the growing threat of drug-resistant tuberculosis in Europe and the urgent need for coordinated, strategic action.

In 2024, an estimated 390,000 people worldwide developed multidrug- or rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (MDR/RR-TB). Several countries in the WHO European Region, including the Republic of Moldova, are disproportionately affected. The WHO has classified rifampicin-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis as one of four priority bacterial pathogens globally, underscoring the need to protect the effectiveness of existing and future treatments.

“Important progress has been made in the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis, but emerging resistance to newer medicines shows that these gains cannot be taken for granted. As treatment options continue to evolve, antimicrobial stewardship is essential to ensure that both existing and novel medicines remain effective for future generations,” said Associate Professor Dr. Dumitru Chesov, who led the local organizing committee. A central focus of the conference was the implementation of the recently published International Clinical Standards for Antimicrobial Stewardship in Tuberculosis. Participants reviewed results from an international survey conducted ahead of the meeting among more than 40 WHO European Region Member States. The survey identified important gaps in governance and policy, capacity building, access to diagnostics, clinical management, monitoring, and stewardship practices. “These standards provide a practical framework for strengthening antimicrobial stewardship in tuberculosis care. The conference was an important step towards translating them into action across the WHO European Region,” said PD Dr. Thomas Theo Brehm, who led the development of the international standards and the accompanying implementation survey.

The conference findings informed structured breakout discussions on priority actions. The meeting concluded with the formation of international working groups that will develop practical tools, educational activities, monitoring frameworks, and policy recommendations to support countries in strengthening antimicrobial stewardship in tuberculosis care.

The conference was funded by the Oskar Award of the Oskar-Helene-Heim Foundation, Berlin, and conducted with the participation of DZK, DZIF, ECDC, ESGAP, The Lancet Regional Health – Europe, and The Union.

Clinical standards for antimicrobial stewardship in TB:

Brehm TT, et al. Clinical standards for antimicrobial stewardship in TB care. IJTLD Open. 2025

Dec 10;2(12):716-726. doi: 10.5588/ijtldopen.25.0522.