Consistent with AGA legislative language included in an appropriations bill signed into law by President Bush last year, NIH and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will develop a Long-Range Plan for Digestive Diseases to focus on the needs of gastroenterologists and their patients.
"The creation of the National Commission on Digestive Diseases is a landmark event in the advancement of the science and practice of gastroenterology," said David A. Peura, MD, AGA president. "Our goal in proposing the Commission was to obtain the funds and focus needed to increase the rate of discovery and to translate advances into clinical practice."
The Commission will assess the state-of-the-science in digestive diseases and the related NIH research portfolio, with a view toward identifying areas of research challenge and opportunity. The Commission's Research Plan will then guide the NIH–along with the investigative and lay communities–in pursuing important research avenues to combating digestive diseases.
In 1976, Congress created the Commission on Digestive Diseases Research, which proposed a long-term plan and made recommendations that laid the groundwork for significant progress in the area of digestive health. The newly mandated National Commission on Digestive Diseases will update the findings of the original Commission and will be composed of scientists, physicians, patient advocates and representatives of federal agencies.
According to "The Burden of Gastrointestinal Diseases," a study conducted by the AGA in 2001, disorders of the digestive tract comprise a spectrum of gastrointestinal and hepato-biliary diseases that affect hundreds of millions of people in the U.S. Furthermore, gastrointestinal diseases have enormous economic consequences on the nation's health care system and those who suffer from them. The findings from this study served as the scientific basis for the AGA to advocate for the creation of the Commission.
For more information on the Commission and the AGA's other legislative priorities, visit the Public Policy section of www.gastro.org. More information can also be found on the NIH site: http://www.niddk.nih.gov/federal/ncdd/index.htm.
About the AGA
The American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) is dedicated to the mission of advancing the science and practice of gastroenterology. Founded in 1897, the AGA is the oldest medical-specialty society in the United States. The AGA's 14,500 members include physicians and scientists who research, diagnose and treat disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and liver. On a monthly basis, the AGA publishes two highly respected journals, Gastroenterology and Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. The AGA's annual meeting is Digestive Disease Week®, which is held each May and is the largest international gathering of physicians, researchers and academics in the fields of gastroenterology, hepatology, endoscopy and gastrointestinal surgery.