About the Campaign
Celiac disease is an immune reaction to gluten, a protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. An estimated 1 percent of all Americans suffer from celiac disease, though many have never been diagnosed and are not receiving treatment.
Many physicians consider celiac disease exceedingly rare because they say they have never seen someone present with it. But with such varied symptoms, celiac disease is being missed or misdiagnosed.
To meet the need for comprehensive and current information about celiac disease, the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), launched the Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign. The Awareness Campaign is the result of the combined ideas and efforts of the professional and voluntary organizations that focus on celiac disease, along with the NIDDK, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions about the Awareness Campaign
Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign Marks First Anniversary
The NIH Celiac Disease Awareness Campaign marks its first year with an anniversary newsletter and radio interview with Frank Hamilton, M.D., National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases’ chief of the digestive diseases program in the Division of Digestive Diseases and Nutrition.
Visit www.nih.gov/news/radio/jul2007/07062007celiac.htm to download the interview.