1. The 4-Month TB Regimen (Finally!) – But Is It for Everyone?

●      What’s New: The CDC (March 2024) approved a 4-month rifapentine-based regimen for drug-sensitive TB, replacing the old 6-month standard.

●      The Catch: It’s not for HIV+ patients or extrapulmonary TB—a detail many miss.

●      Real Impact: Saves 2 months of treatment, but adherence remains critical.

2. BPaL Regimen: A Game-Changer for Drug-Resistant TB

●      Breakthrough: The BPaL regimen (Bedaquiline + Pretomanid + Linezolid) now cures 90% of XDR-TB cases in 6 months (vs. 18+ months before).

●      Hidden Cost: Pretomanid’s $1,000+ price tag limits access in Africa/Asia. Activists demand generic versions.

●      Patient Story: A Mumbai survivor’s diary: "I could work again after 4 months—no deafness from injectables."

3. AI-Predicting TB Relapses (Before They Happen)

●      Google DeepMind’s 2024 Project: AI scans chest X-rays + genomic data to predict relapse risk with 92% accuracy.

●      Why It Matters: 5–10% of "cured" patients relapse silently. Early detection = fewer deaths.

4. The TB Vaccine We’ve Waited 100 Years For

●      MTBVAC Update: The first live-attenuated TB vaccine (since BCG in 1921!) showed 50% efficacy in Phase 3 trials (South Africa, 2024).

●      Controversy: Why isn’t it prioritized over mRNA tech? (Hint: Funding goes to diseases with richer patients.)

5. A Looming Threat: Totally Drug-Resistant TB (TDR-TB)

●      2024 Alerts: India and South Africa reported 12 cases untreatable by all known drugs.

●      Experimental Hope: Phage therapy (viruses that kill TB bacteria) is in trials.

How to Present This Differently?

●      Interactive Map: "Global TB Hotspots & Access to New Drugs" (embed a clickable map).

●      Myth-Buster: "TB is a poor country’s problem" → Show rising cases in UK/US due to migration and poverty.

●      Patient Voices: Video clips of survivors on new vs. old treatments.