Researchers at the University of Virginia, in collaboration with colleagues at the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, Boston University and Harvard University, working with RESIST-TB and the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), have received a grant from the Pittsfield Anti-Tuberculosis Association to develop a global, web-based resource designed to support nurses caring for individuals with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB).
The project will create a freely accessible online platform featuring clinical algorithms, decision-support tools, educational resources, and recorded “Ask the Expert” sessions with international TB specialists. Designed for use across diverse clinical settings with a focus on equal access for colleagues in low-resource settings, the site aims to strengthen nursing capacity and expand access to practical, evidence-based guidance for managing complex TB cases.
“This resource will improve management of patients being treated for drug-resistant TB with the newest drugs by giving nurses the tools to best manage side-effects of these medications,” said Dr Robert Horsburgh, Co-Chair of RESIST-TB and the Union’s DR-TB Working Group.
“We are incredibly thrilled for this support, which leverages many years of educational program design, skills building, and interprofessional review, to bring a state of the science curriculum to the world’s largest healthcare profession. We cannot ‘EndTB’ without the power of the nursing workforce behind us,” said Dr Jason Farley, Director, Center for Infectious Disease and Nursing Innovation at Johns Hopkins and a member of The Union’s Nursing and Allied Health Section as well as the DR-TB Working Group.
Multidrug-resistant TB continues to pose significant global health challenges. By leveraging interdisciplinary collaboration and digital innovation, the project seeks to improve clinical decision-making, foster global knowledge exchange, and advance equitable access to TB care. The launch date is planned to coincide with the Union World Conference on Lung Health 2026 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the global nursing workforce and improving outcomes for people affected by DR-TB.