Anonymousabout 2 hours ago
A new generation of near-point-of-care tuberculosis tests — including a $4, battery-powered device that uses tongue swabs instead of sputum — has received WHO backing after a seven-country clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. With TB killing 1.25 million people annually and an estimated 4 million cases going undiagnosed each year, these sputum-free diagnostics could transform access for children, HIV-positive patients, and others who cannot produce phlegm, though questions about real-world performance, regulatory timelines, and market disruption remain.