What is Next in IBD Research

Here is the April Newsletter Issue from CCFA. Letter from CCFA President Rick Geswell, Great news! Our Escape the Stall awareness campaign featuring Amy Brenneman, acclaimed actress and proud CCFA supporter, won the Gold DTC National Advertising Award for Best Disease Education for TV/Print! Talking about IBD is not easy for anyone, but winning this award is a reflection of how far we've come in creating a dialogue about IBD. I am incredibly grateful to Draftfcb, a renowned advertising agency for their outstanding pro-bono work. I know we'll continue to raise public awareness about IBD and the 1.4 million Americans it affects. If you haven't seen the campaign yet, take a look! The Next Steps in Understanding IBD IBD Researcher Every five years, we outline our progress in IBD research and set future goals in our "Challenges in IBD Research" report. Since our last report in 2008, we've identified over 163 genes for both Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis and have initiated large studies to predict treatment outcomes and risks in pediatric IBD patients. We have also improved the tools for the identification of potentially crucial bacteria. These are only a few of our accomplishments... and there is still so much to be done! Read "Challenges in IBD Research" to find out more about our research agenda and how we'll continue to lead the effort to better understand IBD. read more College Student Helps CCFA Launch IBD Education Program Abby Ever since Abby Searfoss was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease as a high school senior, she has played an integral role in youth advocacy for people with IBD. Now a junior at the University of Connecticut, Abby conducted the first ever educational "Program in a Box" on campus this week. We asked Abby to talk with us about this new program, her advocacy work, and how she manages her IBD while in college. read more Clinical Trials CCFA provides a comprehensive database of studies, clinical trials, and other research on Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Some of the clinical trials recently added to our list include: A brief communication of treatment risks survey being conducted by National Analysts Worldwide The pregnancy and neonatal outcomes in women with IBD study by the University of California San Francisco and 30 other sites The allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation study by the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center By participating in a medical study or clinical trial, you can have a more active role in your own health care, gain access to new research treatments before they become widely available, and help others by contributing to medical research. Deciding whether you should participate in a study or clinical trial is an important personal decision, best made with a full understanding of the process of drug development and your specific role.