The UK Health Security Agency will work with other relevant organisations to identify ways of producing up-to-date guidance on TB issues that fall outside the scope of the collaborative BTS, BIA and NICE guideline.
Guidelines are evidence-based recommendations that enable clinicians and patients to make shared decisions about care for specific medical conditions. They enable clinicians to make informed decisions about care, helping to standardise treatments and improve patient outcomes.
The development of the joint guideline on the diagnosis and management of latent and active tuberculosis in adults and children is timely, given the current resurgence of this airborne bacterial disease, which usually affects the lungs and other parts of the body.
Dr Rajeka Lazarus, BIA President, said: “I welcome this update to guidance on the management of TB. Following decades of decline, rates of TB are now rising, and drug-resistant TB is an emerging threat.
“Thankfully, since the previous NICE guidance on TB there have been significant advances in diagnostic technologies and treatment options to help tackle this growing challenge. British Infection Association is pleased to partner with NICE and British Thoracic Society and to bring our expertise in infection to help shape this new guideline.”
Professor Richard Russell, BTS Chair, said: "The development of this joint Tuberculosis Guideline is both timely and important. Tuberculosis remains a significant public health challenge, and the recent rise in cases across England is a reminder that we cannot be complacent. By bringing together the expertise of the British Infection Association, NICE and the British Thoracic Society, we have a valuable opportunity to provide clinicians with clear, evidence-based recommendations that support earlier diagnosis, consistent high-quality care, and better outcomes for patients of all ages. Collaborative working of this kind is essential if we are to address the resurgence of TB and continue to improve respiratory health across the UK."
Eric Power, interim director of the centre for guidelines at NICE, said: “Tuberculosis can be a deadly and devastating disease which is on the rise in the UK and around the world.
“To tackle this condition, we are collaborating with BIA and BTS to develop this joint guideline that will help the public and clinicians to identify and manage TB cases affecting children, young people, and adults.
“This new joint guideline will help people quickly get the diagnosis and effective treatment they need.”
To find out more about the joint tuberculosis guideline, please contact nice@nice.org.uk, bts@brit-thoracic.org.uk and admin@britishinfection.org.
London, London WC1N 2PL
19/08/2026 09:00:03
British Thoracic Society
