The Time Is Now: Making the Case for Compassionate Use/Pre-Approval Access to New TB Drugs
25 January 2026
The TB drug development pipeline currently includes more novel compounds in phase 2 trials than ever before. A new editorial published in IJTLD OPEN, co-authored by Jonathan Stillo (Wayne State University; emeritus TB CAB member), underscores the ethical and public health imperative of ensuring access to these promising agents through systematic compassionate use programmes. The piece argues that expanding such access should be an urgent priority for all TB stakeholders.
“We urge NCEDs [novel chemical entity developers] and other stakeholders to examine current delays in CU [compassionate use], re-evaluate any false precepts, and draw on the experiences of existing frameworks to strengthen work with stakeholders to ensure a human rights–based approach to CU access. CU programmes are… a moral and ethical imperative, especially for diseases that have a public health risk. By providing treatment for otherwise incurable forms of TB, we can ensure scientific progress benefits not just a few individuals in trials but entire communities, upholding the right to health and scientific progress for all.”