Global health expert and diplomat to lend skills, support to optimize new TB drug introductions
WASHINGTON and NEW YORK, Feb. 25, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- TB Alliance, a not-for-profit organization with the mission of developing new, improved, and affordable TB treatments, announces the election of Karl Hofmann, President and CEO of Population Services International (PSI), as President of the TB Alliance’s Stakeholders Association (SHA), thereby assuming a seat on its Board of Directors. Mr. Hofmann brings to the TB Alliance deep experience in building partnerships and tackling global health challenges including optimizing new product introductions.
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Karl Hofmann leads PSI, a global health not-for-profit organization which operates in nearly 70 countries. Founded in 1970, PSI is a leader in developing health programs that generate demand for and provide access to health products, services and care across the developing world. PSI is currently increasing its efforts and impact in delivering TB care and treatment. Prior to joining PSI, Mr. Hofmann was a U.S. diplomat for 23 years. He served as U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Togo, Executive Secretary of the U.S. Department of State, and Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Paris.
“I’ve seen how today’s suboptimal TB therapies contribute to a cycle of disease and poverty in some of the least developed countries in the world,” said Mr. Hofmann. “Now with improved TB drugs on the horizon, I look forward to working with the TB Alliance through my role on the Board and in leading the SHA, to help speed the delivery of promising new regimens to those who need them most.”
In welcoming Mr. Hofmann, Dr. Carlos Morel, Chairman of the Board for TB Alliance and Director of the Center for Technological Development in Health (CDTS) of FIOCRUZ, said, “Mr. Hofmann’s appointment to the Board and his election to SHA President is another indication of how the TB Alliance and its partners are working together to improve the full continuum of TB care--from drug discovery and research to delivering affordable medicines and regimens to those people who need them. Mr. Hofmann’s knowledge and experience in improving the health of people in the developing world by expanding service delivery solutions that can be scaled is a great addition to the work of the TB Alliance.”
The TB Alliance’s Stakeholders Association was established in 2000 with the formation of the organization. The members share a clear interest and a significant stake in ensuring the development of a faster, better cure for tuberculosis. The SHA is comprised of institutions from around the world including representatives from developing nations, government, non-governmental organizations, professional organizations, academia, foundations, and industry. Through various mechanisms, Stakeholder institutions advise, guide, and support the full range of efforts undertaken by the TB Alliance. The Stakeholder Association President also serves on the TB Alliance Board of Directors, ensuring the perspectives of the Stakeholders and the communities they represent reach TB Alliance at the highest levels of the organization.
“The Stakeholder Association is at the heart of the TB Alliance; these organizations represent the diverse groups that are crucial in helping us fulfill our mission,” said Dr. Mel Spigelman, President and CEO, TB Alliance. “We are extremely fortunate to have someone with Karl’s experience and skills at the helm of the Stakeholders Association at this critical juncture in the Alliance’s history.”
About TB Alliance:
The Global Alliance for TB Drug Development (TB Alliance) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to finding faster-acting and affordable drug regimens to fight tuberculosis. Through innovative science and with partners around the globe, we aim to ensure equitable access to faster, better TB cures that will advance global health and prosperity. The TB Alliance operates with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Irish Aid, UK aid, UNITAID, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, the United States Agency for International Development, and the United States Food and Drug Administration, and the US AIDS Clinical Trials Group. For more information, please visit tballiance.org.
About PSI
PSI is a global health organization dedicated to improving the health of people in the developing world by focusing on serious challenges like a lack of family planning, HIV/AIDS, barriers to maternal health, and the greatest threats to children under five, including malaria, diarrhea, pneumonia, and malnutrition. www.psi.org
Contact:
For TB Alliance:
Joanna Breitstein
(m) 646.616.8613
Joanna.breitstein@tballiance.org
For PSI:
Ryan Cherlin
(o) 202.572.4512
rcherlin@psi.org
SOURCE TB Alliance
