Barbara Boxer: “To address this issue, the Global TB Drug Facility, which is part of the Stop TB Partnership at the World Health…”

“To address this issue, the Global TB Drug Facility, which is part of the Stop TB Partnership at the World Health Organization, is a remarkably successful international mechanism that is effectively providing access to high-quality anti-TB drugs in the world's poor nations. The Global TB Drug Facility procures drugs at low cost through a competitive bidding process, distributes drugs to qualified grantees, and works with Stop TB partners to ensure monitoring and evaluation. In operation just 2 years, the Global TB Drug Facility has reduced the price of anti-TB drugs to just $10 for a full six to eight month course of treatment, and has approved grants to over 40 countries. The Global TB Drug Facility, GDF is so successful that the World Health Organization is using it as a model for providing anti-retroviral drugs and diagnostics in its campaign to reach 3 million people with anti-retrovirals by 2005. Yet, despite its immense effectiveness, the GDF is facing a severe funding crisis. It does not have funding to meet existing commitments next year or to make any new grants for drug purchases. It needs $50 million next year and a minimum of $25 million just to meet existing commitments for 2004. If it does not get its minimum funding, at least 1.8 million TB patients will be put at serious risk and many will die, and we will be interrupting supplies of drugs--creating the perfect conditions to develop a dangerous drug resistant strain of the disease.”