Fondation Mérieux, in the presence of Mr Chen Zhu, Chinese Minister for Health, and Alain Mérieux, President of Fondation Mérieux, has renewed the agreement that was signed in 2007 with the Chinese Minister for Health, to cooperate on the prevention and treatment of tuberculosis.
The second agreement, signed with the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (CAMS), continues, for a further five years, work with the Christophe Mérieux Laboratory, dedicated to the evaluation and development of new diagnostic technologies, in particular new biomarkers, and the identification and the characterization of new pathogenic agents.
A ceremony was also held at the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, in the course of which a statue in memory of Dr Christophe Mérieux was presented.
Achievements of the first phase of collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the CDC of China on tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis
- Equipping of the National TB Reference Centre of the Chinese CDC in Beijing: DiversiLab genotyping system, line probe assay (LPA) and loop mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP).
- Equipping of 2 provincial TB reference centres of the Chinese CDC in Harbin (Heilong Jiang) and Hangzhou (Zhe Jiang) : DiversiLab genotyping system, LPA, LAMP, quantitative PCR, liquid culture, LED microscopy.
- Equipping of 8 TB county treatment centres in 2 provinces (Shuangcheng, Wuchang, Huanan, Fujin, Pujiang, Changshan, Shaoxing, Pingyang) : depending on the centers, LAMP, liquid culture, LED microscopy, biosafety cabinet.
- Training of 132 laboratory professionals at national, prefectural et and municipal levels.
- Evaluation of the new tools for the detection of pulmonary TB and diagnosis of TB treatment resistance of1400 patients suspected of having tuberculosis.
This first phase of collaboration confirms the usefulness and the cost-effectiveness of decentralizing in China LED microscopy for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis. Liquid culture and molecular tools enable an invaluable reduction in the delay of diagnosis of TB treatment resistance.