# Ending the TB epidemic – what can we learn from the HIV epidemic?

## TL;DR

The paper draws lessons from the HIV epidemic to inform strategies for ending the TB epidemic through community-wide screening and improved diagnostics and treatments.

## Contribution

The paper highlights three key interventions from the HIV response that could be adapted for TB control.

## Key findings

- Simple point-of-care HIV tests and effective ART were crucial to the success of the HIV response.
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis helped prevent HIV transmission, offering a model for TB prevention.
- TB control requires similarly simple diagnostics and well-tolerated treatments for community-wide screening to be effective.

## Abstract

Advocates for community-wide screening promote this approach to reduce TB incidence and end the TB epidemic. The roll-out of antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV-infected people is often cited as evidence that such ambitious programmes can work, even in remote, low-resource settings. It is important to remember that three landmark interventions made the HIV/AIDS response so successful. These were: simple-to-use tests made point-of-care HIV testing universally available; safe, acceptable, effective ART saved lives; and pre-exposure prophylaxis prevented transmission. A similar level of diagnostic simplicity and well-tolerated treatments need to be developed to make community-wide screening for TB affordable, scalable and effective.