Event highlights
The briefing brought together over 250 participants for strategic discussions on preparation for potential introduction of novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccines targeting adolescents and adults. While the WHO European Region has achieved the fastest decline in TB incidence globally, it continues to bear the highest proportion of multidrug-resistant TB. Existing tools, including the century-old Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine, are insufficient to interrupt transmission among older age groups.
WHO experts presented the current pipeline of candidate vaccines, including late-stage products targeting adolescents and adults, with phase 3 results expected in the coming years. Modelling evidence indicates that even a moderately effective vaccine in these age groups could substantially accelerate progress towards regional and global TB elimination targets.
The session introduced the global TB Vaccine Accelerator Council, established in 2023 to address financing, regulatory alignment, policy development and country readiness in parallel with clinical development. Particular emphasis was placed on Working Group 4, which supports national preparedness, stakeholder engagement and early planning.
Participants discussed the need for immediate action: strengthening collaboration between TB and immunization programmes, engaging national immunization technical advisory groups, reviewing regulatory pathways, assessing delivery platforms for adolescents and adults, and initiating policy dialogue. The overarching message was clear: preparedness must begin before licensure to avoid delays in access once WHO recommendations are issued.
The briefing marked the start of structured regional engagement to ensure that countries of Eastern Europe and Centra Asia are ready to translate scientific advances into timely public health impact.
Event notice
This technical briefing organized by WHO headquarters and WHO/Europe aims to inform countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia about recent developments involving the Global Tuberculosis Vaccine Accelerator Council, the role of novel tuberculosis (TB) vaccines in TB prevention and the global pipeline of novel TB vaccines. The session will highlight opportunities for country engagement and outline next steps for strengthening preparedness, policy dialogue and coordination to accelerate the introduction of novel TB vaccines across the Region, when available for rollout.
National stakeholders from TB and immunization programmes, health ministry officials involved in policy, planning and vaccine introduction, national immunization technical advisory group members, and representatives of academia, civil society, national immunization and partner organizations are encouraged to participate. The briefing will combine short technical presentations with moderated discussion. Participation is limited to registered participants. The working language will be English, with simultaneous interpretation into Russian.
To learn more and register, please use the link below.
Background
TB continues to be a major global health crisis. In 2023, TB once again became the leading infectious disease killer, with 8.2 million newly diagnosed cases and more than 1.2 million deaths. Existing tools, including the century‑old Bacillus Calmette–Guérin vaccine, remain insufficient to curb transmission, which primarily occurs among adolescents and adults. Scientific advances during COVID‑19 demonstrated that vaccines can be developed, manufactured and rolled out rapidly when political prioritization, financing and coordinated partnerships are in place. Recognizing the urgent need for similar coordinated mechanisms for novel TB vaccines, WHO announced the establishment of the Tuberculosis Vaccine Accelerator Council on 17 January 2023.
In the WHO European Region, countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia carry most of the Region’s TB disease burden, including the highest levels of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB globally. Any regional preparedness for the introduction of novel TB vaccines, once recommended by WHO, must therefore prioritize these countries, where the impact of introducing new TB vaccines would be greatest. WHO has emphasized the need to support countries with the highest burden and transmission levels, making countries of Eastern Europe and Central Asia critical to regional engagement, readiness assessments and vaccine introduction planning.