Challenges in ibd research: The clinical research agenda

Encouraged by the success of the two formerly released Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) documents, Challenges in IBD Research: Agenda for the 1990's and Challenges in IBD Research: 1993 Update, which set the direction for basic science research on inflammatory bowel disease, physician members and leaders of many CCFA-sponsored research efforts convened a task force headed by Daniel Present, M.D., and Stephen B. Hanauer, M.D. Subcommittees in the areas of Basic Science, Pediatrics, Drug Therapy, Classification and Measurement, Surgical Therapy, Cancer, and Clinical Networking were formed and were charged with the challenge of prioritizing the work in their particular fields. The aim of this unified effort was to most expeditiously tackle the unanswered questions and to propose improved treatments for inflammatory bowel disease. Each subcommittee prepared a consensus document on its determined priorities, and these were presented at a Task Force meeting held in New York in June 1994.