For centuries the doubled-barred Red Cross of Lorraine has been the emblem used by that province in France.

At one of the first International Tuberculosis Congresses held in Berlin in 1902, the assembled delegates decided that because tuberculosis was so rampant they should really declare war on this devastating disease. The meeting agreed. However, someone said that in order to do so effectively, it would be necessary to have a Battle Standard. The representative from Lorraine suggested that they should take as a symbol the doubled-barred Red Cross of Lorraine as many victories for the French in battle fields of old were attributed to carrying this Red Cross into the fight.

At present the International Union Against Tuberculosis with its headquarters in Paris has branches - National Tuberculosis Associations in over 100 countries - all identified by the Cross of Lorraine.