Causes Supporting TBVI Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative

Maria da Graça Carvalho held a meeting with Dr. Joris Vandeputtre, Vice Presidente Advocacy and Resource Mobilisation of TBVI-Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative.

The objective of this meeting was to present the European Initiative TBVI, tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative. Following to Ms Carvalho request to Commissioner Dalli on March 24, that TB is an urgency also for the EU, Dr. Joris Vandeputtre considers that new tools, like vaccines are needed to fight effectively this horrible disease. Dr. Joris Vandeputtre asked Ms Carvalho support for TBVI investments and presented in brief the back ground issues about Tuberculosis and TBVI in particular:

• Tuberculosis, one of the biggest killers, origin of poverty and a threat to the European Citizen.Multiresistant and extremely resistant strainsTools today available, one vaccine, one diagnostic test (smear test) and treatments
• Europe is at the world top of research for new vaccines:DG R&D stimulated to creation of TBVI (Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative)Health is Wealth
• Europe 2020: with is strong knowledge and science base, 40 research institutes, public and private, at the world top of science, TBVI can deliver 4 vaccines by the end of this decade. These vaccines are needed to eliminate tuberculosis by 2020. If we are successful, and the chances are good, this will generate a totally new type of knowledge based economy, strengthen the EU's science capacity, strengthen its capacity to translate discoveries into usable and sellable products, increase the interest for investment in knowledge based economy in the EU, cross-fertilise to the whole bio-economy, strengthen EU's role in the world, create hundreds if not thousands of high added value jobs, give the EU the tools to decide about its own approach to eliminate TB and possible other health threats