WHICH TOPICS ARE OF INTEREST FOR THE CONFERENCE?

Please check the list of the official tracks of the conference.

Breaking news on COVID-19 science, promising trial results around a blood TB biomarker and new TB treatment breakthrough for children, are among the other conference scientific highlights now listed in the online programme.

Impact of COVID-19 on TB

The Union World Conference will feature a special focus on the intersection of TB and lung health with COVID-19. Numerous studies evaluating the pandemic’s impact on national TB programmes in Nigeria, Japan, Tibet, Uganda and Belarus will be presented.

It has been estimated that globally, a three-month lockdown and a protracted 10-month restoration could lead to an additional 6.3 million people falling ill with TB and an additional 1.4 million TB deaths over the next five years. That would result in a setback of at least five to eight years in the fight against TB – bringing 2021 global TB incidence and deaths to levels not seen since 2013 and 2016 respectively – due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Science

Two separate late breaker studies analysing the infection and mortality rates from SARS-CoV-2 for people living with TB are likely to attract broad interest from conference delegates and the media.

TBScience

Key abstracts include:

• Results of an extensive universal testing trial undertaken in South Africa.
  
• Economic modelling of the cost of inaction of ending TB by 2030, co-authored by UN Special Envoy for TB, Eric Goosby.
  
• First large-scale study in 50 years of workers in gold mines demonstrating high rates of TB infection.
  
• Results from a TB self-screening application trial in Tanzania.
  
• Results from the CORTIS Trial on the efficacy of a blood-based TB biomarker.
  
• Results of the SHINE Trial on reducing treatment time for children living with TB.
  
• The Union World Conference programme will feature basic and translational TB research at the TBScience 2020 event  held 20-24 October
  

There are four plenary sessions scheduled at 2pm CEST everyday: 

• Wednesday, 21 October: Prevention is better than cure. 
  Speakers: Jeremiah Chakaya Muhwa, Helen McShane, Rovina Ruslami and Arne von Delft
• Thursday, 22 October: COVID-19: heeding early lessons and preparing for the future.
  Speakers: Andrew Jack, Michael T. Osterholm, Madhukar Pai and Allan Maleche
• Friday, 23 October: Striving for universal health coverage. 
  Speakers: Rosemary Mburu, Elizabeth Iro, Erika Mohr-Holland and Prachi Kathuria
• Saturday, 24 October: Greed, smoke and lung health. 
  Speakers: Asma ElSony, Jorgen Vestbo, Fay Johnston and Elvis Ndikum Achiri

ARE YOU HOLDING SPECIAL SESSIONS?

Yes, we have planned a series of special sessions featuring hot topics (more information available in the online programme):

• Wednesday, 21 October: Special session: Sars-CoV2 - the hope for a vaccine
  
• Thursday, 22 October: COVID-19: different strokes Read more
  
• Friday, 23 October: TB United Nations High-Level Meeting: are we on track?
  
• Saturday, 24 October: What can we do to mitigate zoonotic infection risk?
  

WHO ARE THE HIGH-LEVEL SPEAKERS PARTICIPATING IN THE CONFERENCE?

Check the list of key speakers who will be part of the Union World Conference this year and more details about their participation:

1. Her Imperial Highness Crown Princess Akishino of Japan will attend conference and speak at Opening Ceremony
   
2. President Bill Clinton and Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus confirmed as speakers
   
3. Speakers announced Princess Dina Mired of Jordan, Shannon Hader and Katherine Maher
   
4. Dr Anthony Fauci to deliver keynote adress on COVID-19 science
   

DO YOU OFFER OTHER COVID-19 RELATED CONTENT?

COVID-19 features as one of the topics of the late-breaker sessions, there is also a COVID-19 dedicated tracks included in the list of tracks. More information is available in the online programme.

The Union World Conference will feature a special focus on the intersection of TB and lung health with COVID-19. Numerous studies evaluating the pandemic’s impact on national TB programmes in Nigeria, Japan, Tibet, Uganda and Belarus will be presented.

ARE THERE ANY SESSIONS WITH A LIMIT ON THE NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS?

Yes, there are. Satellite and Meet The Expert sessions only accept a limited number of participants on a first come, first served basis. Please note that the Meet the expert sessions will not be available on demand after they have been broadcast. More information is available in the online programme.