Public Education & Awareness

Since our inception in 1991, IFFGD has helped thousands of people through our toll-free call center, providing information, assistance, and support.

We publish a quarterly journal, Digestive Health Matters, that covers different areas of gastrointestinal health in adults and children with up-to-date information on recognizing, diagnosing, treating, and living with the disorders. The information is reliable and understandable by lay readers, while being authoritative for medical professionals. Distribution has been to members, physicians, regulators, investigators, and the general public in 129 countries throughout the world.

We maintain a unique library of our own publications and fact sheets that contains over one hundred articles with information on a range of topics available to help individuals or the families of those affected by GI disorders.

Timeline

1997

IFFGD posted the first web site for functional GI disorders: www.iffgd.org.

We have added other web sites for specific conditions:

• www.aboutConstipation.org
• www.aboutIBS.org
• www.aboutGERD.org
• www.aboutIncontinence.org
• www.aboutKidsGI.org
• www.aboutgiMotility.org
• www.giResearch.org

IFFGD web sites provide reliable health information and general guidance.

IFFGD designated the month of April as IBS Awareness Month, and it is listed on the U.S. National Health Observances calendar. During this time we work to focus extra attention on important health messages about IBS diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life issues.

1998

IFFGD designated one week in November as GERD Awareness Week, which is also listed on the U.S. National Health Observances calendar. During this time we work to focus extra attention on important health messages about GERD.

1999

IFFGD produced the first Public Service Announcement (PSA) about irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) that was ever televised in the USA.

2001

IFFGD produced GERD in the Workplace, a "toolkit" that provides corporate wellness managers or human resource managers the information they need to educate their employees about the signs, symptoms, and treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

2002

Nancy J. Norton, President of IFFGD presented verbal testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies recommending increased funding support in fiscal year 2003 to the NIH.

2002

IFFGD initiated IBS: A Call to Action, which has resulted in thousands of faxes, letters, and e-mails to members of the U.S. Congress and the Food and Drug Administration explaining the impact of IBS on sufferers and requesting clarification regarding standards for assessing the burden of illness for chronic and debilitating conditions and their application to IBS.

2004

IFFGD presented testimony to the House Appropriations subcommittee on Labor, Health & Human Services, Education and Related Agencies in support of fiscal year 2005 funding through the NIH for functional gastrointestinal and motility disease research including development of a strategic plan setting research goals on IBS and functional bowel diseases and disorders, development of standardized scales to measure incontinence severity and quality of life and to develop strategies for primary prevention of fecal incontinence associated with childbirth, and providing funding for more research on the causes of esophageal cancer.

2005

IFFGD submitted written testimony to both the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for fiscal year 2006 funding of functional gastrointestinal and motility disorder research.

2006

IFFGD submitted written testimony to both the U.S. House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for fiscal year 2007 funding of functional gastrointestinal and motility disorder research.

2007

IFFGD submitted written and verbal testimony to the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittees on Health and Human Services, Education and Related Agencies for fiscal year 2008 funding of functional gastrointestinal and motility disorder research.