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An international study of more than 50,000 people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) has revealed that IBS symptoms may be caused by the same biological processes as conditions such as anxiety. The research highlights the close relationship between brain and gut health and paves the way for development of new treatments. IBS is a common condition world-wide, affecting around 1 in 10 people and causing a wide range of symptoms including abdominal pain, bloating, and bowel dysfunction that can significantly affect people’s lives. Diagnosis is usually made after considering other possible conditions (such as Crohn’s disease or bowel cancer), with...

Israeli company Endo GI Medical received approval from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its technology in the field of gastroenterology, a branch of medicine focused on the digestive system and its disorders, according to a press release by the company. The company, established in 2017 and headed by CEO Omri Nechmadi Nave, will now be shifting its focus towards receiving approval from the Israeli Health Ministry and starting marketing the technology for clinical use in Israel and the US. Endo GI Medical’s research and development includes the development of “Stenting Placement Delivery Systems for the treatment of...

on this topic generated plenty of interest (despite the small number of posted comments), so we continue our coverage… Yet another prestigious hospital joins the ranks of those reporting Carbapenem resistant enterobacteriaceae (CRE) infections, linked to endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) endoscopes. On March 4th, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles discovered that four patients were infected with CRE, and 67 others may have been exposed. Lisa McGiffert, director of the Safe Patient Project at Consumers Union, and a longtime activist regarding hospital-acquired infections, said that “It’s highly likely many hospitals around the country have had outbreaks, and they haven’t been...

Administration of Helicobacter pylori DNA reduces symptoms, new research reveals pathway for future treatmentsANN ARBOR, Mich. — DNA from Helicobacter pylori, a common stomach bacteria, minimizes the effects of colitis in mice, according to a new study by University of Michigan Medical School scientists. The study published in Gut this month was performed by a team of investigators assembled by senior author John Y. Kao, M.D. of the University of Michigan's Division of Gastroenterology and assistant professor in U-M's Department of Internal Medicine. The findings indicate that DNA from H. pylori significantly ameliorates the severity of colitis, say lead authors...