American College of Gastroenterology Supports IBD Awareness Efforts

The American College of Gastroenterology has announced its support of World IBD Day and World Digestive Health Day, global awareness efforts that are bringing physician and patient groups together to raise awareness for inflammatory bowel disease by making the latest ACG practice guidelines for the management of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis in adults available to physicians and patients via a new IBD online resource page, according to an ACG news release.

The World Gastroenterology Organisation will host the 2010 World Digestive Health Day on May 29, focusing on IBD in order raise public awareness on how to optimize diagnostic approaches and maximize patient care to enhance the quality of life of IBD patients, according to the release.

"The American College of Gastroenterology is proud to join the efforts of the World Gastroenterology Organisation, the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America and other patient groups around the world in bringing attention to a very challenging disease for patients as well physicians," Philip O. Katz, MD, FACG, president of ACG, said in the release.

The latest ACG guidelines for IBD review the goals of treatment, including induction and maintenance of remission of symptoms to provide an improved quality of life, reduction in need for long-term corticosteroids and minimization of cancer risk, according to the release. Management of Crohn’s Disease in Adults and Ulcerative Colitis Practice Guidelines in Adults reflect scientifically valid research and aim to suggest preferable approaches to treating these diseases.

Read the ACG's release on global IBD awareness efforts (pdf).