PeerLINC’s G-TEC delivers collective solutions when TB cases defy standard care
Council members from 18 countries share guidance on regimen design and patient safety during its August meeting
Behind each TB case lies a person whose treatment represents restored health, wellness, and economic productivity. Beyond that, each case of TB is an opportunity to learn key insights for future care. This is especially true of particularly complex cases. On 20 August 2025, PeerLINC Knowledge Hub’s Global Technical Expert Council (G-TEC) convened online to review two such cases, translating experienced challenges into shared knowledge that will help countries strengthen care and move more people toward cure.
Global Technical Expert Council (G-TEC) convenes online for its August 20 meeting, with experts from multiple countries collaborating on challenging DR-TB cases
The first case was of an individual from the Philippines who experienced repeated treatment failure despite diagnostic tests showing rifampicin susceptibility. G-TEC experts analyzed this case and the failures were ultimately attributed to a discordance between the rapid test and culture-based results, the latter of which eventually confirmed rifampicin resistance.
At the time, the attending physician had already initiated an individualized alternative six-month regimen. Once full results became available, the alternative regimen proved appropriate, and the patient was cured. G-TEC members used the case to simulate the decision-making process clinicians face when complete data are not yet available and highlight key factors to consider when similar dilemmas arise.
Case outcome from the Philippines presented at the G-TEC meeting: a patient with repeated treatment failure completed six months of treatment and was marked as ‘cured’
“G-TEC has quickly proven its value as a lifeline for TB clinicians, especially when they face difficult clinical scenarios,” said Dr. Eden Mendoza-Hisey, Head of PeerLINC. “By connecting experts across continents and responding in hours rather than weeks, the Council ensures that national programs can make informed treatment decisions that save lives.”
“The cases we reviewed illustrate how collective expertise can untangle very complex treatment challenges,” added Dr. Ronald Allan Fabella, PeerLINC technical expert and former Senior TB Advisor at the Philippine Department of Health. “No single clinician or program has all the answers, but by sharing perspectives, we can generate solutions that are both scientifically sound and practically feasible, and then share that knowledge so others around the world who may face similar challenges may benefit as well.”
Members of the Global Technical Expert Council (G-TEC) discuss Case 2 from India, where regimen adjustments were required due to drug-induced QTc prolongation
Through PeerLINC’s referral platform the Council has already responded to several technical queries from multiple countries, including Rwanda, India, and Vietnam. Referrals were addressed within 30 to 58 hours, with five to thirteen experts providing input per case.
Since its launch in March 2025, G-TEC has grown to 40 members representing 18 countries, most recently adding members from Nigeria and Ukraine, and establishing itself underscoring its role as a truly global body with unique scope and expertise working to improve outcomes for patients with DR-TB.