The Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology has newly published guidelines for the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in adults in its April 2019 issue. Twelve named authors from the fields of gastroenterology,  health psychology and primary care, represent six Canadian universities with one author currently unaffiliated. These are McMaster University, the University

At the end of March 2019, the U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the reintroduction of tegaserod (brand name Zelnorm), an oral medication for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C) to the U.S., only for women without risk factors for or history of cardiovascular conditions. Tegaserod, a selective serotonin type 4 receptor partial agonist

According to news releases, the Canadian branch of Lupin Pharmaceuticals, the distributor of Rifaximin, recently announced that Health Canada, the Canadian drug regulatory agency, has approved its use for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D). Rifaximin, which is manufactured by Salix Pharmaceuticals in the United States, is known by the brand name Xifaxan in the

The International Foundation for Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders (IFFGD) is an established, reputable U.S. based 501c3 not-for-profit organization/charity focused on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and related functional gastrointestinal disorders, also known as disorders of gut-brain interaction. IFFGD was founded in 1991 by an FGID-affected family and continues to have people with FGIDs or family members/supporters among

In April 2018, the journal Gastroenterology  reported that an international collaboration of researchers headed by the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden, has identified several DNA variants on Chromosome 9 that may be associated with higher risk of IBS in women, particularly IBS with constipation. This possible correlation was not found in men. The identified chromosomal regions

In April 2018, in time for IBS Awareness Month, the Gastrointestinal Society in Canada released a 38 page 2018 IBS Global Impact Report, which is available for download on its website.  This report was funded and facilitated by the international pharmaceutical company Allergan, and overseen by a steering committee composed of Maura Corsetti, MD of

In January 2018, plecanatide, also known by the brand name Trulance, and previously available in the United States for use in chronic idiopathic constipation, was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS-C). See this link. https://www.healio.com/gastroenterology/irritable-bowel-syndrome/news/online/%7B0aa46942-f0d1-4b90-a703-335e5878dec4%7D/fda-approves-trulance-for-ibs-c Updated May 2018

In mid-October, fashion designer Mychael Knight, who was a former star of the U.S. reality television show “Project Runway,” passed away at the age of 39. It is unfortunate that he apparently suffered from chronic gastrointestinal issues that may or may not have contributed to his death at such a young age. While he apparently

One of the interesting and groundbreaking articles presented this year at Digestive Disease Week, an annual international gastroenterology professional conference in May 2017 is a collaboration of 14 researchers from UCLA, Texas Children’s Microbiome Center and Baylor College of Medicine, and the Washington University School of Medicine in St, Louis, Missouri. The authors confirmed the

On March 1, 2017, Health Canada, the national government agency responsible for approval of new medication, approved the use of eluxadoline, also known by the brand name Viberzi, for irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS) in 75 mg. and 100 mg dosages. The detailed summary basis decision is available here. According to IBS Impact’s Canadian