The Write Your Rights campaign is an invitation to participate in the 'open-source' drafting of The Patients Charter. According to the campaign organisers, knowing and understanding patient rights and responsibilities can make relationships with health care providers a mutually beneficial one. The Charter sets out ways in which patients, the community and the health providers, both private and public, can work as partners in a positive and open relationship with a view to improving TB care, and enhancing the effectiveness of the health care process.

Individuals and organisations were asked to contact the organisers with their ideas and contributions. A series of consultation meetings and forums were held around the world, encouraging the participation of individuals and organisations "on the ground", and online. People living with TB were especially encouraged to contribute and to document concerns as part of an effort to begin to build a 'community' among patients and their families from mostly impoverished and marginalised populations. Taking into consideration the contributions, a draft document was produced.

As part of a 6-month input process supported by the American Thoracic Society, two drafts of the Charter were produced. The first draft of the Patients' Charter was a synthesis of comments and inputs from a few hundred patients, "reflecting hopes and aspirations for quality care for this disease which kills two million of us each year. " A second version incorporated the ideas and feedback of many more patients, as well as health professionals, activists, and concerned global citizens. The process was expected to culminate in the joint launch of the Patients Charter of the Tuberculosis Community and the International Standards of Tuberculosis Care (ISTC) in March 2006. It is hoped that the documents will serve to foster partnerships, bringing patients and professionals together to contribute to the global fight against TB through implementation of these practices in local communities.

Tuberculosis, Rights.

The project website indicates that over 2 million members of the TB community die each year, and that the disease kills more youth and adults than any other curable infectious disease.

The Patients' Charter was drafted in tandem with the development of the new ISTC, which sets out medical recommendations for the treatment of people with tuberculosis, or who may have TB. Taken together, these two documents aim to provide a comprehensive 'patient-centred' approach to care.