Digestive Health Monthly

Because Digestive Health Matters

International Foundation for Gastrointestinal Disorders June 2024 eNewsletter

June is National Men’s Health Month!

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), men are more likely than women to die from heart disease, cancer, and suicide. This is because men are more likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as smoking and excessive drinking, which can increase their risk of developing chronic illnesses and contribute to a lower life span.

To improve men’s health, it’s important to raise awareness about preventive screenings and regular health care for men of all ages. Interventions to reduce smoking and drinking and promote healthy behaviors can also help prevent diseases and improve overall health.

What Causes CSID?

Congenital sucrase-isomaltase deficiency or CSID, is a genetic disorder that affects a person's ability to digest certain sugars. This genetic mutation specifically alters the SI gene which provides instructions for producing the enzyme sucrase-isomaltase.

The sucrase-isomaltase enzyme is found in the small intestine and is involved in the digestion of sugar and starch. It’s responsible for breaking down sucrose and maltose into their simple sugar components which are then absorbed by the small intestine

Click the here to learn more about CSID.

Copay Accumulators- What You Need to Know

We spoke with Erin Mckeon, the Associate Director of Federal Advocacy at the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation about Copay Accumulators. Here's what we learned:

Last September, a DC Court ruled in patient’s favor by overturning a rule that allowed the proliferation of copay accumulators. As of September 29, 2023, nearly all third-party financial assistance provided to patients to help them cover the costs of their medications should count towards their deductibles, co-insurance, copays and annual limits on cost-sharing.

Unfortunately, the Federal government is not enforcing this ban and nearly all insurers continue to use accumulators. It is now up to patients and their employers to stop the use of accumulators and the harm that they cause. Erin has worked with the lawyers at the Aimed Alliance to help patients be their own best advocates in this effort. They have developed step-by-step instructions in a new tool kit that you can access using the button below.

Copay Accumulators: What You Need to Know

5 Minutes in GI

The June edition of our ongoing YouTube series, ‘5 Minutes in GI’ is now live!

Join us as we sit down with Dr. Dariush Shahsavari from Augusta University Medical System and discuss the difference between laryngeal pharyngeal reflux (LPR) and GERD. Learn more about common symptoms, lifestyle changes, and medications you can discuss with your healthcare provider.

Click the button below to learn more.

5 Minutes in GI

IFFGD's 2024 Virtual Digestive Health Wellness and Walk Event

Registration is OPEN.

Event dates are Saturday, July 6, 2024 – Saturday, July 13, 2024

The 2024 Virtual Digestive Health Wellness and Walk Event is a charitable event to raise money to support gastrointestinal illness research.

Like a traditional walk event, participants register to walk and be active to get credit for steps taken during the event. However, this event goes beyond a step goal.

The event will provide goals that can be achieved by people of varying abilities as activities will focus strongly on wellness, self-care, and traditional and non-traditional fitness activities.

Goals will go beyond physical fitness by encouraging participants to schedule a doctor’s appointment or colonoscopy, meditate or journal, or tune in for a curated cooking experience. By adding these alternative activities, we hope that anyone that wants to participate, can participate. #Moves4GIhealth24.

Visit the event page to register and find more information.

National Scleroderma Awareness Month

June is National Scleroderma Awareness Month. Scleroderma is a chronic connective tissue disease that affects the skin and internal organs, including the digestive system.

After the skin, the digestive system is the most commonly affected organ system in people with scleroderma. This can lead to symptoms such as heartburn, difficulty swallowing, bloating, diarrhea, and constipation. Scleroderma has also been known to affect the lower esophageal sphincter and cause GERD.

Click the button below to learn more about scleroderma and how it can affect your GI system.

National Scleroderma Awareness Month

FDA Announces Health Care at Home Initiative

The FDA recently announced a new initiative aimed at reimagining the home as a part of the health care system. The ‘Home as a Health Care Hub’ aims to advance health equity by introducing health care prevention, wellness, and medical devices into people’s lives. The hope is that this program will reap multiple benefits in the healthcare sector by:

Encouraging medical device developers to consider novel design approaches
Encourage providers to consider opportunities to extend care options and educate patients.
Open discourse on value-based care issues.
Provide opportunities to bring clinical trials and other evidence-based processes to underrepresented communities

To read more about the FDA’s health initiative, read more below

FDA Announces Health Care at Home Initiative

RESEARCH CORNER

Clinical trials and research studies help to improve our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of diseases and advance the development of new and better treatment options. By participating in a study, you can help further the advancement of research and learn more about your condition.

Here are 3 studies currently recruiting participants:

Major Depressive Disorder

Study in Major Depressive Disorder With BTRX-335140 vs Placebo

Pediatric IBS-C

A Randomized, Double-blind, Placebo-controlled, Dose Ranging, Parallel-group Study of the Efficacy and Safety of Plecanatide in Children 6 to <18 Years of Age with Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Constipation (IBS-C)

Eosinophilic Gastritis

Study of Gastric Motility in Eosinophilic Gastritis (OAT-FEED)

June Spotlight

IFFGD Junior Academician Dr. Luis Alcala Gonzalez

Dr. Luis Alcala Gonzalez is a GI physician who currently works in the Motility Lab at Vall d'Hebron University Hospital in Barcelona, Spain. With a Ph.D. in Medicine, Dr. Alcala Gonzalez is an expert in the field of Neurogastroenterology and Motility. He is particularly interested in the study of small intestinal motility disorders and gastrointestinal involvement in systemic sclerosis. Dr. Alcala Gonzalez is one of IFFGD’s Junior Academicians and you can check him out in one of our upcoming episodes of “5 minutes in GI” as he answers the question, “What causes the build-up of gas in the intestines?”.

Donate

IFFGD is a nonprofit organization. We rely on donor support to fund research and to provide reliable information and support to those affected by chronic gastrointestinal disorders.

IFFGD | 414-964-1799 | iffgd@iffgd.org | www.iffgd.org

Stay Connected