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VAM Registration Opens This Week
It's nearly here! The 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting takes a big step forward this week with the opening of housing and registration. Prepare to sign up for VAM, June 20 to 23 in Boston.
Following a full day of postgraduate courses, VESS abstracts, workshops and international programming, abstract-based scientific sessions will open June 21 and continue to June 23. The Exhibit Hall will be open June 21 to 22.
Catch the highlights of this year's annual meeting here.
It's nearly here! The 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting takes a big step forward this week with the opening of housing and registration. Prepare to sign up for VAM, June 20 to 23 in Boston.
Following a full day of postgraduate courses, VESS abstracts, workshops and international programming, abstract-based scientific sessions will open June 21 and continue to June 23. The Exhibit Hall will be open June 21 to 22.
Catch the highlights of this year's annual meeting here.
It's nearly here! The 2018 Vascular Annual Meeting takes a big step forward this week with the opening of housing and registration. Prepare to sign up for VAM, June 20 to 23 in Boston.
Following a full day of postgraduate courses, VESS abstracts, workshops and international programming, abstract-based scientific sessions will open June 21 and continue to June 23. The Exhibit Hall will be open June 21 to 22.
Catch the highlights of this year's annual meeting here.
Know the danger signs of CVI and VTE in pregnant patients
A new review of the literature on chronic venous insufficiency in pregnant women reveals considerable guidance for their treatment. CVI occurs in up to 80% of pregnant women, while around 7 of every 1,000 pregnant mothers face venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism.
As reported in the March edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders, clinicians from Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Greater Baltimore Medical Center led by vascular surgeon Dr. Jennifer Heller, analyzed 80 studies related to pregnancy, VTE and CVI.
Pregnancy causes significant hemodynamic changes within the circulatory system. While these are considered essential for the health of the developing fetus, the changes place considerable stress on the expectant mother’s heart and lower extremity veins.
Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), marked by varicose veins, pain, edema, itching, skin discoloration, night cramps and heaviness are all common, particularly during the third trimester. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and pulmonary embolism (PE) affects pregnant women nearly five times more than non-pregnant women. In fact, VTE is the number one cause of maternal death in developing countries.
With regards to the hemodynamic and physiologic changes, the review reveals pregnancy:
- Decreases systemic vascular resistance
- Increases heart rate
- Increases cardiac output
- Decreases deep venous blood flow
- Increases deep vein diameters, and
- Induces a hypercoagulable state
Treatment strategies for primary CVI in pregnancy, which occurs in up to 80% of women, were reviewed and include indications for non-pharmacologic therapies (compression, reflexology, water emersion), and pharmacologic treatments (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, fondaparinux, and low-molecular-weight heparin).
With an incidence up to 7 per 1,000 pregnancies, acute VTE remains an important issue in pregnancy. The authors provided a thorough review of VTE prevention during pregnancy, and VTE treatment during pregnancy (including indications for caval filters and management of iliofemoral thrombosis).
“It is important for physicians to comprehend the full extent of the hemodynamic factors that contribute to the increased risk of lower extremity venous disease as well as the most appropriate and effective evidence-based management options,” stated Dr. Heller. “While prophylaxis and treatment of VTE has been extensively studied in pregnancy, further research is required to look at the potential effectiveness and long-term safety profiles of new oral anticoagulants in the mother and fetus.”
She also hopes that future randomized trials will evaluate treatment strategies to relieve symptoms associated with chronic venous insufficiency during pregnancy.
Complete understanding of these issues helps physicians prepare their patients for these eventualities during pregnancy and treat venous complications effectively.
To download the complete article, open access through April 30, click here.
A new review of the literature on chronic venous insufficiency in pregnant women reveals considerable guidance for their treatment. CVI occurs in up to 80% of pregnant women, while around 7 of every 1,000 pregnant mothers face venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism.
As reported in the March edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders, clinicians from Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Greater Baltimore Medical Center led by vascular surgeon Dr. Jennifer Heller, analyzed 80 studies related to pregnancy, VTE and CVI.
Pregnancy causes significant hemodynamic changes within the circulatory system. While these are considered essential for the health of the developing fetus, the changes place considerable stress on the expectant mother’s heart and lower extremity veins.
Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), marked by varicose veins, pain, edema, itching, skin discoloration, night cramps and heaviness are all common, particularly during the third trimester. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and pulmonary embolism (PE) affects pregnant women nearly five times more than non-pregnant women. In fact, VTE is the number one cause of maternal death in developing countries.
With regards to the hemodynamic and physiologic changes, the review reveals pregnancy:
- Decreases systemic vascular resistance
- Increases heart rate
- Increases cardiac output
- Decreases deep venous blood flow
- Increases deep vein diameters, and
- Induces a hypercoagulable state
Treatment strategies for primary CVI in pregnancy, which occurs in up to 80% of women, were reviewed and include indications for non-pharmacologic therapies (compression, reflexology, water emersion), and pharmacologic treatments (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, fondaparinux, and low-molecular-weight heparin).
With an incidence up to 7 per 1,000 pregnancies, acute VTE remains an important issue in pregnancy. The authors provided a thorough review of VTE prevention during pregnancy, and VTE treatment during pregnancy (including indications for caval filters and management of iliofemoral thrombosis).
“It is important for physicians to comprehend the full extent of the hemodynamic factors that contribute to the increased risk of lower extremity venous disease as well as the most appropriate and effective evidence-based management options,” stated Dr. Heller. “While prophylaxis and treatment of VTE has been extensively studied in pregnancy, further research is required to look at the potential effectiveness and long-term safety profiles of new oral anticoagulants in the mother and fetus.”
She also hopes that future randomized trials will evaluate treatment strategies to relieve symptoms associated with chronic venous insufficiency during pregnancy.
Complete understanding of these issues helps physicians prepare their patients for these eventualities during pregnancy and treat venous complications effectively.
To download the complete article, open access through April 30, click here.
A new review of the literature on chronic venous insufficiency in pregnant women reveals considerable guidance for their treatment. CVI occurs in up to 80% of pregnant women, while around 7 of every 1,000 pregnant mothers face venous thromboembolism and pulmonary embolism.
As reported in the March edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery: Venous and Lymphatic Disorders, clinicians from Johns Hopkins Hospital and the Greater Baltimore Medical Center led by vascular surgeon Dr. Jennifer Heller, analyzed 80 studies related to pregnancy, VTE and CVI.
Pregnancy causes significant hemodynamic changes within the circulatory system. While these are considered essential for the health of the developing fetus, the changes place considerable stress on the expectant mother’s heart and lower extremity veins.
Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI), marked by varicose veins, pain, edema, itching, skin discoloration, night cramps and heaviness are all common, particularly during the third trimester. Venous thromboembolism (VTE) and pulmonary embolism (PE) affects pregnant women nearly five times more than non-pregnant women. In fact, VTE is the number one cause of maternal death in developing countries.
With regards to the hemodynamic and physiologic changes, the review reveals pregnancy:
- Decreases systemic vascular resistance
- Increases heart rate
- Increases cardiac output
- Decreases deep venous blood flow
- Increases deep vein diameters, and
- Induces a hypercoagulable state
Treatment strategies for primary CVI in pregnancy, which occurs in up to 80% of women, were reviewed and include indications for non-pharmacologic therapies (compression, reflexology, water emersion), and pharmacologic treatments (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, fondaparinux, and low-molecular-weight heparin).
With an incidence up to 7 per 1,000 pregnancies, acute VTE remains an important issue in pregnancy. The authors provided a thorough review of VTE prevention during pregnancy, and VTE treatment during pregnancy (including indications for caval filters and management of iliofemoral thrombosis).
“It is important for physicians to comprehend the full extent of the hemodynamic factors that contribute to the increased risk of lower extremity venous disease as well as the most appropriate and effective evidence-based management options,” stated Dr. Heller. “While prophylaxis and treatment of VTE has been extensively studied in pregnancy, further research is required to look at the potential effectiveness and long-term safety profiles of new oral anticoagulants in the mother and fetus.”
She also hopes that future randomized trials will evaluate treatment strategies to relieve symptoms associated with chronic venous insufficiency during pregnancy.
Complete understanding of these issues helps physicians prepare their patients for these eventualities during pregnancy and treat venous complications effectively.
To download the complete article, open access through April 30, click here.
RAS Inhibitors Show Promise for CLTI Patients After Interventions
Physicians should consider prescribing high-dose angiotensin inhibitors for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), a recent study from Harvard University suggests.
The report was published in the March edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery by researchers from the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center led by vascular surgeon Dr. Marc Schermerhorn.
The team conducted a retrospective review of 1,161 patients between 2005 and 2014 and evaluated the effect of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition on mortality in patients undergoing revascularization (both endovascular and surgical bypass) for CLTI.
In this population, RAS inhibition resulted in:
• Reduced mortality (67% versus 54% survival at three years)
• Lower 30-day myocardial infarction (1.6% versus 4.3%)
• No difference in major adverse limb events, amputation, or reinterventions
“These benefits were restricted to those prescribed high-dose RAS inhibition, and not realized in those on lower doses,” noted first author Dr. Thomas Bodewes. As such, the authors recommend that, “physicians should strive to maintain patients on high-dose RAS inhibition, provided that such doses are tolerated in terms of blood pressure.”
Patients with CLTI are heavily burdened with atherosclerosis, which affects nearly all important vascular beds, including the cerebral, coronary, peripheral, renal and mesenteric circulatory systems.
A growing body of evidence suggests that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition has multiple cardiovascular benefits including:
• Blood pressure control
• Decrease in preload and afterload
• Stabilization of plaque
• Inhibition of smooth muscle proliferation
• Improved vascular endothelial function
• Reduced ventricular hypertrophy
• Enhanced fibrinolysis
Despite this evidence, questions remain. The authors note that this was a retrospective single institution review and despite adjustment for multiple variables, the association between RAS inhibitor use and long-term outcomes may be confounded by other factors including some that were unmeasured.
There are relatively modest number of non-white patients, and actual use of the medications beyond hospital discharge among the study patients is unknown. There are potential side effects to the use of RAS inhibitors that providers must consider in the dosing of these medications. Larger confirmatory studies are needed to confirm these findings and strengthen the evidence.
ClIck here to read the full-article, which is free to non-subscribers until April 30.
Physicians should consider prescribing high-dose angiotensin inhibitors for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), a recent study from Harvard University suggests.
The report was published in the March edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery by researchers from the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center led by vascular surgeon Dr. Marc Schermerhorn.
The team conducted a retrospective review of 1,161 patients between 2005 and 2014 and evaluated the effect of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition on mortality in patients undergoing revascularization (both endovascular and surgical bypass) for CLTI.
In this population, RAS inhibition resulted in:
• Reduced mortality (67% versus 54% survival at three years)
• Lower 30-day myocardial infarction (1.6% versus 4.3%)
• No difference in major adverse limb events, amputation, or reinterventions
“These benefits were restricted to those prescribed high-dose RAS inhibition, and not realized in those on lower doses,” noted first author Dr. Thomas Bodewes. As such, the authors recommend that, “physicians should strive to maintain patients on high-dose RAS inhibition, provided that such doses are tolerated in terms of blood pressure.”
Patients with CLTI are heavily burdened with atherosclerosis, which affects nearly all important vascular beds, including the cerebral, coronary, peripheral, renal and mesenteric circulatory systems.
A growing body of evidence suggests that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition has multiple cardiovascular benefits including:
• Blood pressure control
• Decrease in preload and afterload
• Stabilization of plaque
• Inhibition of smooth muscle proliferation
• Improved vascular endothelial function
• Reduced ventricular hypertrophy
• Enhanced fibrinolysis
Despite this evidence, questions remain. The authors note that this was a retrospective single institution review and despite adjustment for multiple variables, the association between RAS inhibitor use and long-term outcomes may be confounded by other factors including some that were unmeasured.
There are relatively modest number of non-white patients, and actual use of the medications beyond hospital discharge among the study patients is unknown. There are potential side effects to the use of RAS inhibitors that providers must consider in the dosing of these medications. Larger confirmatory studies are needed to confirm these findings and strengthen the evidence.
ClIck here to read the full-article, which is free to non-subscribers until April 30.
Physicians should consider prescribing high-dose angiotensin inhibitors for patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI), a recent study from Harvard University suggests.
The report was published in the March edition of the Journal of Vascular Surgery by researchers from the Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center led by vascular surgeon Dr. Marc Schermerhorn.
The team conducted a retrospective review of 1,161 patients between 2005 and 2014 and evaluated the effect of renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition on mortality in patients undergoing revascularization (both endovascular and surgical bypass) for CLTI.
In this population, RAS inhibition resulted in:
• Reduced mortality (67% versus 54% survival at three years)
• Lower 30-day myocardial infarction (1.6% versus 4.3%)
• No difference in major adverse limb events, amputation, or reinterventions
“These benefits were restricted to those prescribed high-dose RAS inhibition, and not realized in those on lower doses,” noted first author Dr. Thomas Bodewes. As such, the authors recommend that, “physicians should strive to maintain patients on high-dose RAS inhibition, provided that such doses are tolerated in terms of blood pressure.”
Patients with CLTI are heavily burdened with atherosclerosis, which affects nearly all important vascular beds, including the cerebral, coronary, peripheral, renal and mesenteric circulatory systems.
A growing body of evidence suggests that renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibition has multiple cardiovascular benefits including:
• Blood pressure control
• Decrease in preload and afterload
• Stabilization of plaque
• Inhibition of smooth muscle proliferation
• Improved vascular endothelial function
• Reduced ventricular hypertrophy
• Enhanced fibrinolysis
Despite this evidence, questions remain. The authors note that this was a retrospective single institution review and despite adjustment for multiple variables, the association between RAS inhibitor use and long-term outcomes may be confounded by other factors including some that were unmeasured.
There are relatively modest number of non-white patients, and actual use of the medications beyond hospital discharge among the study patients is unknown. There are potential side effects to the use of RAS inhibitors that providers must consider in the dosing of these medications. Larger confirmatory studies are needed to confirm these findings and strengthen the evidence.
ClIck here to read the full-article, which is free to non-subscribers until April 30.
Legacy Society members sustain research
AGA Legacy Society members share a desire to guarantee long-term support for digestive disease research. Through their foresight and generosity, they help ensure the continued momentum of discovery and patient education that has characterized GI medicine in recent decades. Legacy Society member donations directly support young GI investigators as they establish independent research careers.
Legacy Society members are the most generous individual donors to the AGA Research Foundation. Members of the AGA Legacy Society provide tax-deductible gifts to the AGA Research Foundation of $5,000 or more per year for 5 years ($25,000 total) or $50,000 or more in a planned gift, such as a bequest. All Legacy Society contributions go directly to support research awards.
AGA members support young researchers at a critical decision point in their lives – when many consider giving up their research careers due to a lack of funding. “I am honored to be a recipient of the Research Scholar Award. I would like to thank the foundation for their generous contribution that will fund a crucial transition in my career,” said Jose Saenz, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine and 2017 AGA – Gastric Cancer Foundation Research Scholar Award recipient.
The AGA Research Foundation’s mission is to raise funds to support young researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology. Gifts to the foundation support researchers working towards developing new treatments and diagnostics for patients with GI conditions.
“I am extremely grateful to be selected for this award. I would like to thank the foundation donors for their generous support. This award will me build a research program to better understand mechanisms that promote growth of cholangiocarcinoma,” remarks Silvia Affe, PhD, Columbia University, 2017 AGA Research Scholar recipient.
Donors who make gifts at the Legacy Society level before DDW will receive an invitation to the annual Benefactors’ Dinner at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. Individuals interested in learning more about Legacy Society membership may contact Stacey Hinton Tuneski, Senior Director of Development at [email protected] or via phone (301) 222-4005. More information on the AGA Legacy Society including the current roster and acceptance form is available on the foundation’s website at www.gastro.org/legacysociety.
The makings of a grand celebration
Beginning with a memorable gathering at the United States Library of Congress in 2007, the AGA Benefactors’ Dinner has welcomed members of the AGA Legacy Society and other AGA dignitaries to special locations nationwide. The Folger Shakespeare Library will be the location of the 2018 AGA Research Foundation Benefactors Dinner during DDW in Washington, DC. Just steps from the Capitol, the Great Hall and Pastor Reading room are a spectacular setting for an enjoyable evening with friends. Members of the AGA Legacy Society will be among the distinguished honorees at the annual event.
AGA Legacy Society members share a desire to guarantee long-term support for digestive disease research. Through their foresight and generosity, they help ensure the continued momentum of discovery and patient education that has characterized GI medicine in recent decades. Legacy Society member donations directly support young GI investigators as they establish independent research careers.
Legacy Society members are the most generous individual donors to the AGA Research Foundation. Members of the AGA Legacy Society provide tax-deductible gifts to the AGA Research Foundation of $5,000 or more per year for 5 years ($25,000 total) or $50,000 or more in a planned gift, such as a bequest. All Legacy Society contributions go directly to support research awards.
AGA members support young researchers at a critical decision point in their lives – when many consider giving up their research careers due to a lack of funding. “I am honored to be a recipient of the Research Scholar Award. I would like to thank the foundation for their generous contribution that will fund a crucial transition in my career,” said Jose Saenz, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine and 2017 AGA – Gastric Cancer Foundation Research Scholar Award recipient.
The AGA Research Foundation’s mission is to raise funds to support young researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology. Gifts to the foundation support researchers working towards developing new treatments and diagnostics for patients with GI conditions.
“I am extremely grateful to be selected for this award. I would like to thank the foundation donors for their generous support. This award will me build a research program to better understand mechanisms that promote growth of cholangiocarcinoma,” remarks Silvia Affe, PhD, Columbia University, 2017 AGA Research Scholar recipient.
Donors who make gifts at the Legacy Society level before DDW will receive an invitation to the annual Benefactors’ Dinner at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. Individuals interested in learning more about Legacy Society membership may contact Stacey Hinton Tuneski, Senior Director of Development at [email protected] or via phone (301) 222-4005. More information on the AGA Legacy Society including the current roster and acceptance form is available on the foundation’s website at www.gastro.org/legacysociety.
The makings of a grand celebration
Beginning with a memorable gathering at the United States Library of Congress in 2007, the AGA Benefactors’ Dinner has welcomed members of the AGA Legacy Society and other AGA dignitaries to special locations nationwide. The Folger Shakespeare Library will be the location of the 2018 AGA Research Foundation Benefactors Dinner during DDW in Washington, DC. Just steps from the Capitol, the Great Hall and Pastor Reading room are a spectacular setting for an enjoyable evening with friends. Members of the AGA Legacy Society will be among the distinguished honorees at the annual event.
AGA Legacy Society members share a desire to guarantee long-term support for digestive disease research. Through their foresight and generosity, they help ensure the continued momentum of discovery and patient education that has characterized GI medicine in recent decades. Legacy Society member donations directly support young GI investigators as they establish independent research careers.
Legacy Society members are the most generous individual donors to the AGA Research Foundation. Members of the AGA Legacy Society provide tax-deductible gifts to the AGA Research Foundation of $5,000 or more per year for 5 years ($25,000 total) or $50,000 or more in a planned gift, such as a bequest. All Legacy Society contributions go directly to support research awards.
AGA members support young researchers at a critical decision point in their lives – when many consider giving up their research careers due to a lack of funding. “I am honored to be a recipient of the Research Scholar Award. I would like to thank the foundation for their generous contribution that will fund a crucial transition in my career,” said Jose Saenz, MD, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine and 2017 AGA – Gastric Cancer Foundation Research Scholar Award recipient.
The AGA Research Foundation’s mission is to raise funds to support young researchers in gastroenterology and hepatology. Gifts to the foundation support researchers working towards developing new treatments and diagnostics for patients with GI conditions.
“I am extremely grateful to be selected for this award. I would like to thank the foundation donors for their generous support. This award will me build a research program to better understand mechanisms that promote growth of cholangiocarcinoma,” remarks Silvia Affe, PhD, Columbia University, 2017 AGA Research Scholar recipient.
Donors who make gifts at the Legacy Society level before DDW will receive an invitation to the annual Benefactors’ Dinner at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, DC. Individuals interested in learning more about Legacy Society membership may contact Stacey Hinton Tuneski, Senior Director of Development at [email protected] or via phone (301) 222-4005. More information on the AGA Legacy Society including the current roster and acceptance form is available on the foundation’s website at www.gastro.org/legacysociety.
The makings of a grand celebration
Beginning with a memorable gathering at the United States Library of Congress in 2007, the AGA Benefactors’ Dinner has welcomed members of the AGA Legacy Society and other AGA dignitaries to special locations nationwide. The Folger Shakespeare Library will be the location of the 2018 AGA Research Foundation Benefactors Dinner during DDW in Washington, DC. Just steps from the Capitol, the Great Hall and Pastor Reading room are a spectacular setting for an enjoyable evening with friends. Members of the AGA Legacy Society will be among the distinguished honorees at the annual event.
AGA Pres. Sheila Crowe Spends the Day on Capitol Hill
AGA President Sheila Crowe, MD, FRCPC, FACP, FACG, AGAF, recently spent the day on Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers to advocate for AGA legislative priorities including increasing funding for NIH and biomedical research, support for the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, and support for the Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act. Dr. Crowe met with eight congressional offices and received helpful feedback on the upcoming agenda in Congress and how it impacts AGA’s priorities.
NIH funding
Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act
Fixing the current coinsurance problem for Medicare beneficiaries who undergo a screening colonoscopy that becomes therapeutic remains a top AGA priority. Most of the offices that Dr. Crowe met with were cosponsors of the legislation, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (HR 1017/S.479), that would waive coinsurance payment regardless of the screening outcome. Dr. Crowe shared her experience with patients and the financial burden this places on beneficiaries who need to be screened. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-CA, and Rep. Scott Peters, D-CA, both members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and supporters of the bill, will continue to advocate that the bill receive a hearing this year to help move it through Congress. The bill continues to have wide bipartisan support. Read more about the issue and how you can explain it to your patients.
Step therapy
More and more patients are being subject to step therapy protocols, also known as “fail first” under which they are required to try and fail sometimes two or three therapies before receiving coverage of the initial therapy recommended by their physician. With the emergence of new biologics to treat diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, more and more digestive disease patients are being subject to these protocols, which can have adverse effects on their health. Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act (HR 2077) would provide patients and providers with a fair and equitable appeals process when step therapy has been imposed and provides common sense exceptions for the provider to appeal. Dr. Crowe spoke of the impact this policy is having on digestive disease patients and the burden it puts on physician practices that have to take time away from patients to navigate the convoluted insurance appeals process. We are hopeful that many of the offices that we met with will support HR 2077. Read more about the issue.
Food is Medicine Working Group
Dr. Crowe also had a productive meeting with Rep. Jim McGovern’s, D-MA, office and learned more about the recently created Food is Medicine Working Group that he has initiated. McGovern is the Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Nutrition which is responsible for our nation’s nutrition guidelines and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The Working Group will focus on costs related to hunger and the importance of nutrition in treating chronic illness and disease. AGA looks forward to working with McGovern and members of the Working Group on this bipartisan initiative.
Capitol Hill needs to hear the voice of GI
In conjunction with Dr. Crowe’s visit, AGA launched a Virtual Advocacy Day to encourage members to contact their legislators in support of the issues that Dr. Crowe was advocating during her meetings. We thank those members who took time out of their schedules to take action.
AGA President Sheila Crowe, MD, FRCPC, FACP, FACG, AGAF, recently spent the day on Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers to advocate for AGA legislative priorities including increasing funding for NIH and biomedical research, support for the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, and support for the Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act. Dr. Crowe met with eight congressional offices and received helpful feedback on the upcoming agenda in Congress and how it impacts AGA’s priorities.
NIH funding
Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act
Fixing the current coinsurance problem for Medicare beneficiaries who undergo a screening colonoscopy that becomes therapeutic remains a top AGA priority. Most of the offices that Dr. Crowe met with were cosponsors of the legislation, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (HR 1017/S.479), that would waive coinsurance payment regardless of the screening outcome. Dr. Crowe shared her experience with patients and the financial burden this places on beneficiaries who need to be screened. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-CA, and Rep. Scott Peters, D-CA, both members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and supporters of the bill, will continue to advocate that the bill receive a hearing this year to help move it through Congress. The bill continues to have wide bipartisan support. Read more about the issue and how you can explain it to your patients.
Step therapy
More and more patients are being subject to step therapy protocols, also known as “fail first” under which they are required to try and fail sometimes two or three therapies before receiving coverage of the initial therapy recommended by their physician. With the emergence of new biologics to treat diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, more and more digestive disease patients are being subject to these protocols, which can have adverse effects on their health. Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act (HR 2077) would provide patients and providers with a fair and equitable appeals process when step therapy has been imposed and provides common sense exceptions for the provider to appeal. Dr. Crowe spoke of the impact this policy is having on digestive disease patients and the burden it puts on physician practices that have to take time away from patients to navigate the convoluted insurance appeals process. We are hopeful that many of the offices that we met with will support HR 2077. Read more about the issue.
Food is Medicine Working Group
Dr. Crowe also had a productive meeting with Rep. Jim McGovern’s, D-MA, office and learned more about the recently created Food is Medicine Working Group that he has initiated. McGovern is the Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Nutrition which is responsible for our nation’s nutrition guidelines and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The Working Group will focus on costs related to hunger and the importance of nutrition in treating chronic illness and disease. AGA looks forward to working with McGovern and members of the Working Group on this bipartisan initiative.
Capitol Hill needs to hear the voice of GI
In conjunction with Dr. Crowe’s visit, AGA launched a Virtual Advocacy Day to encourage members to contact their legislators in support of the issues that Dr. Crowe was advocating during her meetings. We thank those members who took time out of their schedules to take action.
AGA President Sheila Crowe, MD, FRCPC, FACP, FACG, AGAF, recently spent the day on Capitol Hill meeting with lawmakers to advocate for AGA legislative priorities including increasing funding for NIH and biomedical research, support for the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act, and support for the Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act. Dr. Crowe met with eight congressional offices and received helpful feedback on the upcoming agenda in Congress and how it impacts AGA’s priorities.
NIH funding
Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act
Fixing the current coinsurance problem for Medicare beneficiaries who undergo a screening colonoscopy that becomes therapeutic remains a top AGA priority. Most of the offices that Dr. Crowe met with were cosponsors of the legislation, the Removing Barriers to Colorectal Cancer Screening Act (HR 1017/S.479), that would waive coinsurance payment regardless of the screening outcome. Dr. Crowe shared her experience with patients and the financial burden this places on beneficiaries who need to be screened. Rep. Raul Ruiz, D-CA, and Rep. Scott Peters, D-CA, both members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and supporters of the bill, will continue to advocate that the bill receive a hearing this year to help move it through Congress. The bill continues to have wide bipartisan support. Read more about the issue and how you can explain it to your patients.
Step therapy
More and more patients are being subject to step therapy protocols, also known as “fail first” under which they are required to try and fail sometimes two or three therapies before receiving coverage of the initial therapy recommended by their physician. With the emergence of new biologics to treat diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, more and more digestive disease patients are being subject to these protocols, which can have adverse effects on their health. Restoring the Patient’s Voice Act (HR 2077) would provide patients and providers with a fair and equitable appeals process when step therapy has been imposed and provides common sense exceptions for the provider to appeal. Dr. Crowe spoke of the impact this policy is having on digestive disease patients and the burden it puts on physician practices that have to take time away from patients to navigate the convoluted insurance appeals process. We are hopeful that many of the offices that we met with will support HR 2077. Read more about the issue.
Food is Medicine Working Group
Dr. Crowe also had a productive meeting with Rep. Jim McGovern’s, D-MA, office and learned more about the recently created Food is Medicine Working Group that he has initiated. McGovern is the Ranking Member of the Agriculture Committee’s Subcommittee on Nutrition which is responsible for our nation’s nutrition guidelines and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The Working Group will focus on costs related to hunger and the importance of nutrition in treating chronic illness and disease. AGA looks forward to working with McGovern and members of the Working Group on this bipartisan initiative.
Capitol Hill needs to hear the voice of GI
In conjunction with Dr. Crowe’s visit, AGA launched a Virtual Advocacy Day to encourage members to contact their legislators in support of the issues that Dr. Crowe was advocating during her meetings. We thank those members who took time out of their schedules to take action.
Headlines from the 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium
The 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium took place Jan. 18-20, 2018, in San Francisco. During the meeting, investigators presented groundbreaking research designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of GI cancers. Here are some of the most noteworthy headlines from the 2018 meeting.
Promising Results Using Liquid Biopsy to Improve CRC Early Detection
Researchers in Taiwan developed a screening test for early colorectal cancer (CRC) detection that requires a simple blood draw to assess for circulating tumor cells in the blood. The test demonstrates 88% accuracy to detect all stages of colorectal illness, including precancerous lesions. If validated and made commercially available, this test could be readily integrated into a patient’s routine physical exam, thereby increasing CRC screening compliance.
CELESTIAL Results May Lead to Cabozantinib Approval in Second-Line HCC
The phase III CELESTIAL trial met its primary endpoint by demonstrating a survival advantage with cabozantinib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that progressed following prior systemic therapy. Other outcomes included improvements in progression-free survival and objective response rate, as well as an acceptable safety profile, thus positioning cabozantinib for potential approval in the second-line setting in HCC.
RAINFALL Meets Primary Endpoint, But Ramucirumab Will Not Be Pursued for a First-Line Indication in G-GEJ Cancer
Results of the global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III RAINFALL trial established the statistical benefit of ramucirumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting VEGFR-2, added to standard chemotherapy for patients with previously untreated metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G-GEJ) adenocarcinoma. The findings revealed a significant 25% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death for the primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS). However, the reduction corresponded to only a 9-day improvement in median PFS, so the clinical benefit of frontline ramucirumab is debatable.
The Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium is cosponsored by AGA, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO).
More news from the 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium is available at gicasym.org/daily-news.
The 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium took place Jan. 18-20, 2018, in San Francisco. During the meeting, investigators presented groundbreaking research designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of GI cancers. Here are some of the most noteworthy headlines from the 2018 meeting.
Promising Results Using Liquid Biopsy to Improve CRC Early Detection
Researchers in Taiwan developed a screening test for early colorectal cancer (CRC) detection that requires a simple blood draw to assess for circulating tumor cells in the blood. The test demonstrates 88% accuracy to detect all stages of colorectal illness, including precancerous lesions. If validated and made commercially available, this test could be readily integrated into a patient’s routine physical exam, thereby increasing CRC screening compliance.
CELESTIAL Results May Lead to Cabozantinib Approval in Second-Line HCC
The phase III CELESTIAL trial met its primary endpoint by demonstrating a survival advantage with cabozantinib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that progressed following prior systemic therapy. Other outcomes included improvements in progression-free survival and objective response rate, as well as an acceptable safety profile, thus positioning cabozantinib for potential approval in the second-line setting in HCC.
RAINFALL Meets Primary Endpoint, But Ramucirumab Will Not Be Pursued for a First-Line Indication in G-GEJ Cancer
Results of the global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III RAINFALL trial established the statistical benefit of ramucirumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting VEGFR-2, added to standard chemotherapy for patients with previously untreated metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G-GEJ) adenocarcinoma. The findings revealed a significant 25% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death for the primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS). However, the reduction corresponded to only a 9-day improvement in median PFS, so the clinical benefit of frontline ramucirumab is debatable.
The Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium is cosponsored by AGA, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO).
More news from the 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium is available at gicasym.org/daily-news.
The 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium took place Jan. 18-20, 2018, in San Francisco. During the meeting, investigators presented groundbreaking research designed to improve the diagnosis and treatment of GI cancers. Here are some of the most noteworthy headlines from the 2018 meeting.
Promising Results Using Liquid Biopsy to Improve CRC Early Detection
Researchers in Taiwan developed a screening test for early colorectal cancer (CRC) detection that requires a simple blood draw to assess for circulating tumor cells in the blood. The test demonstrates 88% accuracy to detect all stages of colorectal illness, including precancerous lesions. If validated and made commercially available, this test could be readily integrated into a patient’s routine physical exam, thereby increasing CRC screening compliance.
CELESTIAL Results May Lead to Cabozantinib Approval in Second-Line HCC
The phase III CELESTIAL trial met its primary endpoint by demonstrating a survival advantage with cabozantinib in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that progressed following prior systemic therapy. Other outcomes included improvements in progression-free survival and objective response rate, as well as an acceptable safety profile, thus positioning cabozantinib for potential approval in the second-line setting in HCC.
RAINFALL Meets Primary Endpoint, But Ramucirumab Will Not Be Pursued for a First-Line Indication in G-GEJ Cancer
Results of the global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase III RAINFALL trial established the statistical benefit of ramucirumab, a monoclonal antibody targeting VEGFR-2, added to standard chemotherapy for patients with previously untreated metastatic gastric or gastroesophageal junction (G-GEJ) adenocarcinoma. The findings revealed a significant 25% reduction in the risk of disease progression or death for the primary endpoint of progression-free survival (PFS). However, the reduction corresponded to only a 9-day improvement in median PFS, so the clinical benefit of frontline ramucirumab is debatable.
The Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium is cosponsored by AGA, the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the American Society for Radiation Oncology (ASTRO) and the Society of Surgical Oncology (SSO).
More news from the 2018 Gastrointestinal Cancers Symposium is available at gicasym.org/daily-news.
Thank you to our top Community contributors
2017 was a busy year in the AGA Community, our member-only discussion forum. Some of our favorite discussions included challenging clinical cases you shared, remembering your colleague Dr. Marv Sleisenger and first-hand recaps of AGA’s Advocacy Day experiences.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the conversations in 2017, making the AGA Community a hub for collaboration to ever-expand the field of GI.
Tied for the title of top contributor in 2017 were Dmitriy Kedrin, MD, PhD, of Elliot Hospital in Manchester, N.H., and Sunanda Kane, MD, MSPH, AGAF, of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Both are key influencers in the forum, especially with helping colleagues manage challenging patient cases. Learn more about each contributor and why keeping up with the Community is an important part of their regular routines in this brief Q&A.
Thanks for being such an active member of the AGA Community! Why do you contribute?
Dr. Kane: “You are welcome! I contribute because I feel I have helpful suggestions and recommendations for managing difficult patient scenarios as well as for professional issues.”
Dr. Kedrin: “I think it is important for GI docs to be a part of a larger community, stay informed on latest guidelines, research publications and approaches to difficult cases, where more than one road can be taken. I feel that it is a great forum for someone like me, relatively junior gastroenterologist.”
Why do you enjoy being part of the AGA Community?
Kane: “I feel engaged with my colleagues who I otherwise do not see on a regular basis, and get to ‘meet’ new ones.”
Kedrin: “I find the case discussions informative. I learn a great deal about current trends and opinions on important topics in the GI world.”
What do you like to do in your free time?
Kane: “I enjoy cooking and binge-watching Netflix.”
Kedrin: “I bake bread and run a gastroenterology literature review podcast called ‘GI Pearls.’”
What’s your approach to handling a difficult patient case you come across in your practice?
Kane: “I reach out to as many of my colleagues as I think appropriate who may have some experience or thoughts about how to help a difficult patient.”
Kedrin: “I often seek advice of other clinicians, some with more expertise in a particular area. I also go to the literature and try to learn more that way, help expand my differential as well as figure out the best therapeutic approach.”
Was there a conversation in the AGA Community in 2017 that was your favorite?
Kane: “All conversations have merit, none stick out as a favorite.”
Kedrin: “Oh, there are several. I recall a patient case where there were several thought leaders in the field who had a disagreement about the best approach to treatment. The work-life balance conversation [Early Career Group members only] was also very good. I also enjoyed reading about different opinions regarding the values of randomized versus observational trials that happened a while back.”
View the top discussions and contributors from 2017 on the AGA Community homepage, for a limited time.
2017 was a busy year in the AGA Community, our member-only discussion forum. Some of our favorite discussions included challenging clinical cases you shared, remembering your colleague Dr. Marv Sleisenger and first-hand recaps of AGA’s Advocacy Day experiences.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the conversations in 2017, making the AGA Community a hub for collaboration to ever-expand the field of GI.
Tied for the title of top contributor in 2017 were Dmitriy Kedrin, MD, PhD, of Elliot Hospital in Manchester, N.H., and Sunanda Kane, MD, MSPH, AGAF, of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Both are key influencers in the forum, especially with helping colleagues manage challenging patient cases. Learn more about each contributor and why keeping up with the Community is an important part of their regular routines in this brief Q&A.
Thanks for being such an active member of the AGA Community! Why do you contribute?
Dr. Kane: “You are welcome! I contribute because I feel I have helpful suggestions and recommendations for managing difficult patient scenarios as well as for professional issues.”
Dr. Kedrin: “I think it is important for GI docs to be a part of a larger community, stay informed on latest guidelines, research publications and approaches to difficult cases, where more than one road can be taken. I feel that it is a great forum for someone like me, relatively junior gastroenterologist.”
Why do you enjoy being part of the AGA Community?
Kane: “I feel engaged with my colleagues who I otherwise do not see on a regular basis, and get to ‘meet’ new ones.”
Kedrin: “I find the case discussions informative. I learn a great deal about current trends and opinions on important topics in the GI world.”
What do you like to do in your free time?
Kane: “I enjoy cooking and binge-watching Netflix.”
Kedrin: “I bake bread and run a gastroenterology literature review podcast called ‘GI Pearls.’”
What’s your approach to handling a difficult patient case you come across in your practice?
Kane: “I reach out to as many of my colleagues as I think appropriate who may have some experience or thoughts about how to help a difficult patient.”
Kedrin: “I often seek advice of other clinicians, some with more expertise in a particular area. I also go to the literature and try to learn more that way, help expand my differential as well as figure out the best therapeutic approach.”
Was there a conversation in the AGA Community in 2017 that was your favorite?
Kane: “All conversations have merit, none stick out as a favorite.”
Kedrin: “Oh, there are several. I recall a patient case where there were several thought leaders in the field who had a disagreement about the best approach to treatment. The work-life balance conversation [Early Career Group members only] was also very good. I also enjoyed reading about different opinions regarding the values of randomized versus observational trials that happened a while back.”
View the top discussions and contributors from 2017 on the AGA Community homepage, for a limited time.
2017 was a busy year in the AGA Community, our member-only discussion forum. Some of our favorite discussions included challenging clinical cases you shared, remembering your colleague Dr. Marv Sleisenger and first-hand recaps of AGA’s Advocacy Day experiences.
Thank you to everyone who contributed to the conversations in 2017, making the AGA Community a hub for collaboration to ever-expand the field of GI.
Tied for the title of top contributor in 2017 were Dmitriy Kedrin, MD, PhD, of Elliot Hospital in Manchester, N.H., and Sunanda Kane, MD, MSPH, AGAF, of Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.
Both are key influencers in the forum, especially with helping colleagues manage challenging patient cases. Learn more about each contributor and why keeping up with the Community is an important part of their regular routines in this brief Q&A.
Thanks for being such an active member of the AGA Community! Why do you contribute?
Dr. Kane: “You are welcome! I contribute because I feel I have helpful suggestions and recommendations for managing difficult patient scenarios as well as for professional issues.”
Dr. Kedrin: “I think it is important for GI docs to be a part of a larger community, stay informed on latest guidelines, research publications and approaches to difficult cases, where more than one road can be taken. I feel that it is a great forum for someone like me, relatively junior gastroenterologist.”
Why do you enjoy being part of the AGA Community?
Kane: “I feel engaged with my colleagues who I otherwise do not see on a regular basis, and get to ‘meet’ new ones.”
Kedrin: “I find the case discussions informative. I learn a great deal about current trends and opinions on important topics in the GI world.”
What do you like to do in your free time?
Kane: “I enjoy cooking and binge-watching Netflix.”
Kedrin: “I bake bread and run a gastroenterology literature review podcast called ‘GI Pearls.’”
What’s your approach to handling a difficult patient case you come across in your practice?
Kane: “I reach out to as many of my colleagues as I think appropriate who may have some experience or thoughts about how to help a difficult patient.”
Kedrin: “I often seek advice of other clinicians, some with more expertise in a particular area. I also go to the literature and try to learn more that way, help expand my differential as well as figure out the best therapeutic approach.”
Was there a conversation in the AGA Community in 2017 that was your favorite?
Kane: “All conversations have merit, none stick out as a favorite.”
Kedrin: “Oh, there are several. I recall a patient case where there were several thought leaders in the field who had a disagreement about the best approach to treatment. The work-life balance conversation [Early Career Group members only] was also very good. I also enjoyed reading about different opinions regarding the values of randomized versus observational trials that happened a while back.”
View the top discussions and contributors from 2017 on the AGA Community homepage, for a limited time.
DDW® 2018 general registration is now open
General registration and housing for Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2018 are now open. Registering during the early-bird period (until April 18) guarantees a savings of at least $80 on your registration.
Why DDW?
Just as monumental as this year’s host city, Washington, D.C., DDW is the premier meeting for GI professionals. Come to DDW 2018, taking place June 2-5, to:
- • Choose from an extensive program of high-quality education presented in a variety of learning formats.
- • Explore research unveiled in more than 4,000 poster presentations and over 1,000 abstract presentations.
- • Network and share capital ideas with more than 14,000 other attendees from around the world.
- • Browse an extensive Exhibit Hall featuring the latest products and services in gastroenterology and related fields.
Whether your area of expertise is in patient care, research, education, or administration, DDW has something for you. Register today
General registration and housing for Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2018 are now open. Registering during the early-bird period (until April 18) guarantees a savings of at least $80 on your registration.
Why DDW?
Just as monumental as this year’s host city, Washington, D.C., DDW is the premier meeting for GI professionals. Come to DDW 2018, taking place June 2-5, to:
- • Choose from an extensive program of high-quality education presented in a variety of learning formats.
- • Explore research unveiled in more than 4,000 poster presentations and over 1,000 abstract presentations.
- • Network and share capital ideas with more than 14,000 other attendees from around the world.
- • Browse an extensive Exhibit Hall featuring the latest products and services in gastroenterology and related fields.
Whether your area of expertise is in patient care, research, education, or administration, DDW has something for you. Register today
General registration and housing for Digestive Disease Week® (DDW) 2018 are now open. Registering during the early-bird period (until April 18) guarantees a savings of at least $80 on your registration.
Why DDW?
Just as monumental as this year’s host city, Washington, D.C., DDW is the premier meeting for GI professionals. Come to DDW 2018, taking place June 2-5, to:
- • Choose from an extensive program of high-quality education presented in a variety of learning formats.
- • Explore research unveiled in more than 4,000 poster presentations and over 1,000 abstract presentations.
- • Network and share capital ideas with more than 14,000 other attendees from around the world.
- • Browse an extensive Exhibit Hall featuring the latest products and services in gastroenterology and related fields.
Whether your area of expertise is in patient care, research, education, or administration, DDW has something for you. Register today
AGA’s Fecal Microbiota Transplantation National Registry enrolls first patient
The AGA Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) National Registry is officially underway! The first patient enrolled in the FMT National Registry received a fecal transplant through the Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut/Medical Research Center of Connecticut by Paul Feuerstadt, MD. The patient being treated had experienced multiple recurrences of C. difficile infection. As part of the registry, Dr. Feuerstadt will follow up with the patient four times over the next 2 years and report back on the patient’s health post-FMT. The patient will also provide yearly reports for up to 10 years.
The AGA FMT National Registry, a program of the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education, was established in August 2016 after receiving funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the NIH (award number R24AI118629). The registry aims to enroll 75 sites and track 4,000 patients for 5-10 years after their FMT procedure. The data collected from this registry will guide physicians in determining when to use FMT on their patients and will provide much-needed information on the potential risks associated with stool transplants.
If you’re interested in participating in the registry, email [email protected].
New registry collaborators
AGA will collaborate with the American Gut Project – an academic effort run by the laboratory of Rob Knight, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation at the University of California, San Diego – to build a biobank of stool samples from participants in the FMT National Registry. American Gut will receive stool samples from registry participants before and after their FMT. The microbiota will be sequenced in each sample, and remaining material will be frozen to be made available for future research. Eventually, this information could help doctors screen and select the best donor samples for individual patients.
AGA will also collaborate with OpenBiome, a public stool bank and nonprofit research organization that provides clinicians with rigorously screened, ready-to-use stool preparations for fecal transplant procedures. As the only public stool bank in the country, OpenBiome serves as the source of stool preparations for nearly 1,000 clinical partners performing FMT across the U.S. For patients enrolled in the registry who receive OpenBiome FMT material, OpenBiome will provide screening information and samples to support the registry’s research analyses. Learn more at www.gastro.org/FMTRegistry.
The AGA Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) National Registry is officially underway! The first patient enrolled in the FMT National Registry received a fecal transplant through the Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut/Medical Research Center of Connecticut by Paul Feuerstadt, MD. The patient being treated had experienced multiple recurrences of C. difficile infection. As part of the registry, Dr. Feuerstadt will follow up with the patient four times over the next 2 years and report back on the patient’s health post-FMT. The patient will also provide yearly reports for up to 10 years.
The AGA FMT National Registry, a program of the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education, was established in August 2016 after receiving funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the NIH (award number R24AI118629). The registry aims to enroll 75 sites and track 4,000 patients for 5-10 years after their FMT procedure. The data collected from this registry will guide physicians in determining when to use FMT on their patients and will provide much-needed information on the potential risks associated with stool transplants.
If you’re interested in participating in the registry, email [email protected].
New registry collaborators
AGA will collaborate with the American Gut Project – an academic effort run by the laboratory of Rob Knight, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation at the University of California, San Diego – to build a biobank of stool samples from participants in the FMT National Registry. American Gut will receive stool samples from registry participants before and after their FMT. The microbiota will be sequenced in each sample, and remaining material will be frozen to be made available for future research. Eventually, this information could help doctors screen and select the best donor samples for individual patients.
AGA will also collaborate with OpenBiome, a public stool bank and nonprofit research organization that provides clinicians with rigorously screened, ready-to-use stool preparations for fecal transplant procedures. As the only public stool bank in the country, OpenBiome serves as the source of stool preparations for nearly 1,000 clinical partners performing FMT across the U.S. For patients enrolled in the registry who receive OpenBiome FMT material, OpenBiome will provide screening information and samples to support the registry’s research analyses. Learn more at www.gastro.org/FMTRegistry.
The AGA Fecal Microbiota Transplantation (FMT) National Registry is officially underway! The first patient enrolled in the FMT National Registry received a fecal transplant through the Gastroenterology Center of Connecticut/Medical Research Center of Connecticut by Paul Feuerstadt, MD. The patient being treated had experienced multiple recurrences of C. difficile infection. As part of the registry, Dr. Feuerstadt will follow up with the patient four times over the next 2 years and report back on the patient’s health post-FMT. The patient will also provide yearly reports for up to 10 years.
The AGA FMT National Registry, a program of the AGA Center for Gut Microbiome Research and Education, was established in August 2016 after receiving funding from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) of the NIH (award number R24AI118629). The registry aims to enroll 75 sites and track 4,000 patients for 5-10 years after their FMT procedure. The data collected from this registry will guide physicians in determining when to use FMT on their patients and will provide much-needed information on the potential risks associated with stool transplants.
If you’re interested in participating in the registry, email [email protected].
New registry collaborators
AGA will collaborate with the American Gut Project – an academic effort run by the laboratory of Rob Knight, PhD, professor and director of the Center for Microbiome Innovation at the University of California, San Diego – to build a biobank of stool samples from participants in the FMT National Registry. American Gut will receive stool samples from registry participants before and after their FMT. The microbiota will be sequenced in each sample, and remaining material will be frozen to be made available for future research. Eventually, this information could help doctors screen and select the best donor samples for individual patients.
AGA will also collaborate with OpenBiome, a public stool bank and nonprofit research organization that provides clinicians with rigorously screened, ready-to-use stool preparations for fecal transplant procedures. As the only public stool bank in the country, OpenBiome serves as the source of stool preparations for nearly 1,000 clinical partners performing FMT across the U.S. For patients enrolled in the registry who receive OpenBiome FMT material, OpenBiome will provide screening information and samples to support the registry’s research analyses. Learn more at www.gastro.org/FMTRegistry.
Application Deadline Extended for ACS and MacLean Center Fellowships in Surgical Ethics
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education is offering fellowships in surgical ethics with the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, University of Chicago, IL. The MacLean Center will prepare two surgeons for careers that combine clinical surgery with scholarly studies in surgical ethics, beginning with a five-week, full-time course in Chicago in July and August 2018. From September 2018 to June 2019, fellowship recipients will meet weekly for a structured ethics curriculum. In addition, fellows will participate in an ethics consultation service and complete a research project.
For additional information about this fellowship, contact Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Associate Director, ACS Division of Education, at [email protected]. Application materials are now due March 15.
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education is offering fellowships in surgical ethics with the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, University of Chicago, IL. The MacLean Center will prepare two surgeons for careers that combine clinical surgery with scholarly studies in surgical ethics, beginning with a five-week, full-time course in Chicago in July and August 2018. From September 2018 to June 2019, fellowship recipients will meet weekly for a structured ethics curriculum. In addition, fellows will participate in an ethics consultation service and complete a research project.
For additional information about this fellowship, contact Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Associate Director, ACS Division of Education, at [email protected]. Application materials are now due March 15.
The American College of Surgeons (ACS) Division of Education is offering fellowships in surgical ethics with the MacLean Center for Clinical Medical Ethics, University of Chicago, IL. The MacLean Center will prepare two surgeons for careers that combine clinical surgery with scholarly studies in surgical ethics, beginning with a five-week, full-time course in Chicago in July and August 2018. From September 2018 to June 2019, fellowship recipients will meet weekly for a structured ethics curriculum. In addition, fellows will participate in an ethics consultation service and complete a research project.
For additional information about this fellowship, contact Patrice Gabler Blair, MPH, Associate Director, ACS Division of Education, at [email protected]. Application materials are now due March 15.