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Glenn M. Eisen, MD, MPH, FACG, FASGE, is now the President and Chair of the Board of Directors of the GI Quality Improvement Consortium (GIQuIC), a national endoscopic registry and clinical benchmarking tool for gastroenterologists. Dr. Eisen assumes this role from Irving M. Pike, MD, FACG, FASGE, who is President-Elect of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG). GIQuIC is a joint initiative of ACG and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) that fosters the ability of endoscopists and endoscopy facilities to benchmark themselves, and provides impetus for quality improvement.

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A new clinical guideline from the American College of Gastroenterology offers the first recommendations in over 10 years on the evaluation of abnormal liver chemistries. For the first time in a liver test guideline, the authors define a normal healthy serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) level for women and men (up to 25 IU/L for women, up to 33 IU/L for men) and recommend that levels above this should be assessed by physicians.

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The American College of Gastroenterology is pleased to announce the publication of “The Negative Issue” of The American Journal of Gastroenterology (AJG), a full issue of the College’s flagship journal dedicated to negative studies, which focus on what physicians should not do in clinical practice.

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Carol A. Burke, MD, FACG, was elected by the membership as the 2016-2017 President of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), a national specialty association representing almost 14,000 clinical gastroenterologists and other specialists in digestive diseases. Dr. Burke officially takes her position as President during the College’s 81st Annual Scientific Meeting, held this week in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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More than 5,000 gastroenterologists and other health care professionals from around the world will convene at The Venetian in Las Vegas for the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 81st Annual Scientific Meeting to review the latest scientific advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.

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Media Availability with liver disease expert Dr. Tram T. Tran, who is presenting The American Journal of Gastroenterology Lecture, “Hepatitis C: The Past, the Present and the Future” at the ACG Annual Scientific Meeting in Las Vegas.

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The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) announces the winners of the 2016 SCOPY Awards (Service Award for Colorectal Cancer Outreach, Prevention and Year-Round Excellence) to recognize the achievements of ACG members in their community engagement, education and awareness efforts for colorectal cancer prevention.

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Katie Couric reflects on her unanticipated journey as a cancer advocate in a personal essay published online in The American Journal of Gastroenterology to coincide with March National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month.

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Kenneth R. DeVault, MD, FACG, was elected by the membership as the 2015-2016 president of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), a national specialty association representing more than 13,000 clinical gastroenterologists and other specialists in digestive diseases. Dr. DeVault officially took his position as president during the College’s Annual Scientific Meeting, held this week in Honolulu. In this role, Dr. DeVault will direct ACG’s programs which include continuing medical education in the clinical, scientific and patient-related skills of gastroenterology, policies involving national and state medical affairs, quality issues and clinical investigation.

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Featured abstract authors and renowned experts in the field of gastroenterology offer clinical insight and real-world perspective in a series of video press briefings that highlight the key science presented this week at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 80th Annual Scientific Meeting in Honolulu. More than 4,000 gastroenterologists, physicians and other health care professionals from around the world will convene at the Hawaii Convention Center to review and present the latest scientific advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.

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The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) announces the winners of the first annual SCOPY Award (Service Award for Colorectal Cancer Outreach, Prevention and Year-Round Excellence) to recognize the achievements ACG members in their community engagement, education, and awareness efforts for colorectal cancer prevention.

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New research in the area of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) further advances understanding of the safety and effectiveness of FMT for Clostridium difficile, suggests gut microbiota changes may play a role in predicting treatment failure, and explores whether donor stool can impact an FMT recipient’s weight, are among the highlights of the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 80th Annual Scientific Meeting, which will be held this week in Honolulu. More than 4,000 gastroenterologists, physicians and other health care professionals from around the world will convene at the Hawaii Convention Center to review and present the latest scientific advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.

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In this presentation, Dr. Spiegel will address how information technology will transform gastroenterology. Dr. Chey will discuss the emerging role of diet as a treatment strategy for patients with GI conditions. In addition, the panelists take a look back at the AJG and a look ahead at the evolution of research related to food and the advances of technology. Panelists will be available for media questions in the press room immediately following the The American Journal of Gastroenterology Lecture.

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Biomarker advances in gastroenterology are highlighted in a special June issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology, which also provides new data on how these advances can help the clinician in a wide variety of gastrointestinal (GI) and liver diseases.

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The American College of Gastroenterology today announced that two nationally recognized gastroenterologists will take the helm of The American Journal of Gastroenterology as Co-Editors-in-Chief, guiding the nation’s leading clinical gastroenterology publication. Brian E. Lacy, MD, PhD, FACG, of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center, and Brennan Spiegel, MD, MSHS, FACG, of Cedars-Sinai Heath System, were selected as a team because of their complementary strengths and depth of experience. They assume their new joint roles in January.

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U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Representative Richard Neal (D-MA) introduced the “Supporting ColoRectal Examination and Education Now (SCREEN) Act” (S. 1079/H.R. 2035), which eliminates barriers to potentially lifesaving colorectal screenings for Medicare beneficiaries and ensures they are screened regularly through a variety of recommended methods, including colonoscopy. Both Senator Cardin and Congressman Neal have long advocated for increasing colorectal cancer screening in Medicare. Mr. Cardin has introduced iterations of the SCREEN Act in each Congress since 2002, first as a member in the U.S. House of Representatives.

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This year the College offers a series of pre-recorded virtual press briefings which feature the insights of leading gastroenterology experts on several key abstracts that will be unveiled at ACG 2014 in the areas related to fecal microbiota transplantation and C. difficile.

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This year the College offers a series of pre-recorded virtual press briefings which feature the insights of leading gastroenterology experts on several key abstracts that will be unveiled at ACG 2014 in the areas related to drug induced liver injury.

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This year the College offers a series of pre-recorded virtual press briefings which feature the insights of leading gastroenterology experts on several key abstracts that will be unveiled at ACG 2014 in the areas related to notable case reports related to protein shakes, chia seeds, and other supplementation where good health intentions go bad

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This year the College offers a series of pre-recorded virtual press briefings which feature the insights of leading gastroenterology experts on several key abstracts that will be unveiled at ACG 2014 in the areas related to inflammatory bowel disease.

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This year the College offers a series of pre-recorded virtual press briefings which feature the insights of leading gastroenterology experts on several key abstracts that will be unveiled at ACG 2014 in the areas related to hepatitis C

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Stephen B. Hanauer, MD, FACG, a recognized international expert on the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, was elected by the membership as the 2014-2015 president of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), a national specialty association representing more than 13,000 clinical gastroenterologists and other specialists in digestive diseases. Dr. Hanauer officially took his position as president during the College’s Annual Scientific Meeting, held this week in Philadelphia.

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In a series of virtual press briefings, renowned experts in the field of gastroenterology offer commentary and real word perspective on the key science presented this week at the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 79th Annual Scientific Meeting in Philadelphia.

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Promising new research in the area of hepatitis C (HCV) therapy that suggests more patients, including those with cirrhosis, will be cured from this common cause of potentially fatal viral liver disease; as well as a number of abstracts that advance understanding of the safety and effectiveness of fecal microbiota transplantation for Clostridium difficile, are among the highlights of ACG 2014, which will be held this week in Philadelphia.

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The American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) published a new systematic review of evidence about the management of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) as a supplement to the August 2014 issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

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New clinical guidelines on the diagnosis and management of idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury (DILI) appear in the July issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology. DILI is a rare adverse drug reaction, challenging to diagnose, and can lead to jaundice, liver failure and even death. The frequency of DILI incidence is increasing, as the use of herbal and dietary supplements has drastically increased over the last 10 years.

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For World Digestive Health Day, the American College of Gastroenterology, along with World Gastroenterology Organisation (WGO), observes the 2014 focus on the human gut microbiome and its impact on health and disease.

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The rate of developing esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) nearly doubles in those who both smoke and drink compared to those who only smoke or drink, according to new research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology

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Adding quinoa to the gluten-free diet of patients with celiac disease is well-tolerated, and does not exacerbate the condition, according to new research published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

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Patients with non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) and other food sensitivities showed clinical, laboratory and histological characteristics suggesting they may be suffering from a non-IgE-mediated food allergy, according to the article, “Non-Celiac Wheat Sensitivity as an Allergic Condition: Personal Experience and Narrative Review,” published online today in The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

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A blood-test could easily determine whether a patient is suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), eliminating the need for extensive and expensive dialogistic testing in order to rule out more serious conditions like Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), suggests Mark Pimentel, M.D., lead author of a multicenter study unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA.

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Data on new treatment options and combinations of therapies to treat chronic viral hepatitis C infection were presented at the 78th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology in San Diego in a scientific session dedicated to liver disease. Three research teams reported on trials of several experimental treatments, including interferon-free drug combinations and direct acting antiviral agents effective against genotypes 2 and 3 of the Hepatitis C virus, as well as new agents which have the potential to shorten the duration of therapy.

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Childhood and infancy factors have been linked to a predisposition to developing Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infection, the leading cause of health-care associated diarrhea, according to new research being presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA.

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A marker in bile known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important role in the growth of cancerous tumors according to new research presented at the 78th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. Researchers from the Cleveland Clinic found that VEGF levels from bile aspirated from the pancreas can accurately distinguish pancreatic cancer from other causes of common problems in the bile duct. The results of this pilot study indicated that using this marker in bile can correctly identify pancreas cancer with high sensitivity, detecting pancreas cancer accurately in 93 percent of cases.

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Severe liver damage, and even failure, has been associated with the consumption of weight loss supplements, an herbal supplement and an energy drink, according to four separate case reports presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA. Use of herbal and dietary supplements is widespread for a variety of health problems. Because many patients do not disclose supplement use to their physicians, important drug side effects can be missed.

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Two separate studies presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego analyze inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) health outcomes in the United States and Canada. IBD, which includes both Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic inflammatory condition of the intestinal tract and is estimated to affect over 1.4 million people in the U.S.

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A smartphone virtual coach application for colonoscopy preparation is shown to be easy to use and engaging, even among people who have previously undergone colonoscopy. Results of a usability study were presented at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA.

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Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is effective in resolving Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) in immunocompromised patients with few serious adverse events according to an retrospective series presented at the 78th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American College of Gastroenterology. Two other studies looked at FMT in Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients who also suffered from C. difficile infection, as well as the impact of altering gut flora with transplant of fecal bacteria upon symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome.

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Physical activity is associated with a reduced risk of esophageal cancer, particularly esophageal adenocarcinoma, according to a new meta-analysis of published observational studies presented by Mayo Clinic researcher Siddharth Singh, M.D., at the American College of Gastroenterology’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting in San Diego, CA.

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Harry Eugene Sarles, Jr., M.D., FACG was elected by the membership as the 2013-2014 President of the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), a national medical specialty society representing more than 12,000 clinical gastroenterologists and other specialists in digestive diseases. Dr. Sarles officially took his position as President during the College’s 78th Annual Scientific Meeting, held this week in San Diego. As President, Dr. Sarles will direct ACG’s programs, which include continuing medical education in the clinical, scientific and patient-related skills of gastroenterology, policies involving national and state medical affairs, managed care issues and clinical investigation.

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More than 4,000 gastroenterologists, physicians and other health care professionals from around the world will convene this week for the American College of Gastroenterology's (ACG) 78th Annual Scientific Meeting at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA, to review and present the latest scientific advances in gastrointestinal research, treatment of digestive diseases and clinical practice management.

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The GI Quality Improvement Consortium (GIQuIC) announces the expansion of its endoscopic quality registry to include upper GI endoscopy and related quality measures. GIQuIC, a quality benchmarking registry co-sponsored by the American College of Gastroenterology and the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, provides reliable and relevant measures of endoscopic quality that give physicians meaningful information they can use to improve patient care.

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Updated guidelines on the management of acute pancreatitis, a condition that causes acute inflammation of the pancreas, appear in the September issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

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Swiss researchers report an increase risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) relapse in patients during heat wave periods. The study published in The American Journal of Gastroenterology also found an increase of infectious gastroenteritis during heat waves, with the strongest impact following a 7 day lag time after the heat wave.

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New treatment guidelines on the diagnosis and management of achalasia, a primary motor disorder of the esophagus, appear in the August issue of The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

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The American College of Gastroenterology expressed disappointment that a front page article in the Sunday June 2, 2013 issue of the New York Times, “The $2.7 Trillion Medical Bill,” unfairly casts outsized blame for high medical care costs on colonoscopy and, by extension, on gastroenterologists.

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Diabetic patients who suffer from a common complication of diabetes called gastroparesis may find that chronic electrical stimulation (ES) at specific acupuncture points could relieve gastroparesis symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, early satiety, abdominal fullness, upper abdominal pain and bloating, according to study results unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) 77th Annual Scientific meeting in Las Vegas.

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Women under age 50 who have been diagnosed with endometrial cancer, and first, second and third degree relatives of patients with colorectal cancer may have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), according to two separate studies unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) 77th Annual Scientific meeting in Las Vegas. Two other CRC-related studies presented at ACG 2012 investigated the impact of gender, race and obesity on the incidence of adenoma and advanced adenoma detection rates—suggesting that overweight African American and Hispanic men may be at greater risk for precancerous polyps which if not detected early enough could lead to colorectal cancer.

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Patients with Type 2 Diabetes may face an increased risk for Barrett’s Esophagus (BE), regardless of other risk factors including smoking, alcohol consumption, obesity and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), according to research unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) 77th Annual Scientific meeting in Las Vegas.

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Research unveiled today at the American College of Gastroenterology’s (ACG) 77th Annual Scientific meeting in Las Vegas suggests a possible overlap of symptoms of two prevalent GI disorders: irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and further suggests a possible link between subtle GI tract inflammation and IBS symptoms—a link that is also the focus of the first systemic review of the literature on this topic and an editorial both published in this month’s American Journal of Gastroenterology. One study presented today found that mesalamine granules, an anti-inflammatory drug used to treat ulcerative colitis, improved abdominal pain and stool consistency in diarrhea-predominant IBS. In the second study, researchers found that tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs)—which are commonly used to treat IBS patients—may be effective in managing moderately-severe functional symptoms such as abdominal pain and diarrhea in patients with inflammatory bowel disease.