Shifting TB Landscapes: Dr Peter MacPherson on HIV–TB Care & Diagnostic Innovation

Dr Peter MacPherson, Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Glasgow, joins Dr Jack Callum to discuss his research on HIV–TB care and shifting TB epidemiology. He discusses findings from the SaDAPT trial, showing that same‑day ART initiation for people with HIV and TB symptoms is non‑inferior to waiting for TB results and carries similarly low IRIS risk, supporting flexible, program‑level decision‑making. He also highlights his urban–rural TB prevalence meta‑analysis, revealing substantial regional variation and a global trend toward urbanization of TB, with implications for targeted screening and policy. Dr MacPherson reflects on the need for better, low‑cost TB surveillance tools and describes ongoing work on MTB immunoreactivity–based transmission mapping and advances in CAD‑supported TB diagnosis.