Turning the Page on Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis claimed more than 1.25 million lives in 2023, overtaking COVID as the world’s deadliest infectious disease. For the last century, there has been a vaccine protecting children from TB. Now, there is hope for a new solution: a potential vaccine for adolescents and adults. On this episode, reporter Elna Schütz visits an M72 TB vaccine trial site in Worcester, South Africa, one of the world’s TB epicenters. First, Elna speaks with participants about their experiences in the M72 trial and with TB more generally. She also interviews South Africa Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative (SATVI) Director Mark Hatherill and Angelique Luabeya Kany-Kany, SATVI’s chief research officer. SATVI runs part of the M72 trial in Worcester. Then, journalist Chhavi Sachdev interviews Soumya Swaminathan, principal advisor on tuberculosis for the health ministry of India and former WHO chief scientist, about what is needed to end TB as an epidemic. Dr. Swaminathan is also the head of the MS Swaminathan Research Foundation, a nonprofit advancing sustainable rural development and climate resilience. The Threshold is made possible in part through funding from the Gates Foundation. Guests and organizations: Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, former WHO chief scientist and current principal advisor on TB for the health ministry of India. Prof. Mark Hatherill, University of Cape Town and Director of SATVI, the South Africa Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative. Prof. Angelique Luabeya Kany-Kany, University of Cape Town and Chief Research Officer of SATVI, the South Africa Tuberculosis Vaccine Initiative.