FDA hearing on fecal microbiota transplantation tops the week’s stories in gastroenterology

News about the FDA’s public comment session to hear testimony about their policy on fecal microbiota transplantation for patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection was among the week’s top stories in gastroenterology.

Another top story: Findings presented at the American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting identified predictors of response to Stelara in Chron’s disease that allowed researchers to model a decision-support tool to help predict achievement of clinical remission and timing of symptom reduction.

FDA hears testimony on enforcement discretion of fecal microbiota transplantation for C. diff

The FDA held a public comment session on Monday, Nov. 11, in Washington, D.C., to hear testimony on the agency’s policy on enforcement discretion of fecal microbiota transplantation for patients with recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection, as well as what is needed to make a path forward toward approval. Read more.

Guest commentary: Fecal microbiota transplantation, ‘a life-saving therapy,’ needs physician, industry cooperation

In this guest commentary, Jessica Allegretti, MD, MPH, of the Brigham and Women’s Hospital Crohn’s and Colitis Center, discusses the recent FDA hearing on the agency’s policy of enforcement discretion of fecal microbiota transplantation for recurrent Clostridioides difficile infection. Read more.

Predictors of response to Stelara identified in Crohn’s

Researchers were able to identify predictors of response to Stelara in Crohn’s disease, and subsequently model those predictors into a decision-support tool model that helped predict both achievement of clinical remission and rapidity with which symptoms reduced. Read more.

Mesalamine most commonly prescribed Crohn’s disease treatment among older patients

Older patients with Crohn’s disease were less likely to receive biologic agents and more than twice as likely to receive mesalamine compared with younger patients, according to data presented at the American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting. Read more.

VIDEO: ‘Good portion’ of irritable bowel syndrome derived from the gut microbiome

In this exclusive video from the American College of Gastroenterology Annual Meeting, Mark Pimentel, MD, executive director of the Medically Associated Science and Technology (MAST) program at Cedars-Sinai, discusses his presentation on the role of the gut microbiome in irritable bowel syndrome. Read more.