Medical testing company Qiagen is joining forces with the International Panel Physicians Association (IPPA) to boost awareness around tuberculosis testing.
Qiagen currently markets the QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus test, an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for TB. The new campaign will put a "special focus" on IGRA, the U.S.-European firm said in a release.
This will be specific to the U.S. CDC IGRA testing requirements, that mandate screening for all U.S. immigrants undertaking a medical exam from high-incidence TB countries.
While there have been efficacious vaccines for TB for many decades now, the World Health Organization still estimates that 10.6 million people fell ill with TB globally in 2022, including 5.8 million men, 3.5 million women and 1.3 million children. There has in recent years been a slight increase in TB cases seen in the U.S.
“Our collaboration with IPPA enables us to raise awareness about the benefits of IGRA testing and support the U.S. national strategy to eliminate TB domestically by 2050,” said Fernando Beils, SVP and Head of the Molecular Diagnostics business area at Qiagen, in the release.
“This partnership will lead to better detection of latent TB infection before departure for the United States and help identify immigrants who would benefit from preventive treatment.”
Alexandra Ortega, Executive Director of the IPPA, added that: “Working together with Qiagen allows us to educate panel physicians on the latest TB screening requirements, ensuring patients receive the most accurate and efficient testing available. This partnership will play a crucial role in global efforts to combat TB.”