Tuberculosis diagnostics: innovating to make an impact.

The 'International Symposium on TB Diagnostics: Innovating to Make an Impact' was organized by the International Centre for Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology, New Delhi, India, on December 16-17, 2010, with sponsorship support from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics and AERAS Global TB Vaccine Foundation. This highly successful symposium attracted more than 300 participants from India and several other countries and covered several aspects of TB diagnostics, including recent scientific advances in TB diagnostics, progress made in expanding the TB diagnostics pipeline including a portfolio of WHO-endorsed, validated new tools and improved technologies, the successful development of newer molecular assays that have the potential to be used at the point of treatment and the growing contributions of emerging economies such as India. In addition to highlighting the positive aspects of TB diagnostics, the symposium speakers also highlighted the need to focus on worrisome aspects of TB diagnosis, including widespread abuse of inappropriate tests that can prevent the use of good diagnostics, lack of quality assurance in laboratories, lack of adequate regulation of diagnostics and how these can pose a major challenge for roll-out and implementation of new tools. The symposium ended with a very stimulating discussion on how India can become a global leader in TB innovations.