ABSTRACT
Physicians of the outmost fame were called at once,
and when they came they answered, as they took their fees, ‘‘There is no cure for this disease’’
Hillaire Belloc
INTRODUCTION
There is still no category of gastrointestinal disease that fosters a greater sense of frustration in physicians and patients than functional gastrointestinal disorders. This frustration reflects the paucity of effective medications, and is only tempered for the physician by the knowledge the diagnosis is most often correct and patients do not develop significant complications or die from these disorders. Regrettably, the patients experience impaired quality of life, and utilize health care resources extensively as they seek better ‘solutions’ (including unnecessary repeated investigations or even surgery). From a societal standpoint, there is also a significant economic burden estimated for 1998 at $41 billion for the eight most industrialized countries (namely Australia, Sweden, USA, Canada, Germany, France, Japan and UK); two-thirds of this burden reflects absenteeism from work and
During recent years, a greater understanding of the pathophysiology of these disorders and a surge of interest in this challenge among pharmacologists, basic scientists, and clinical investigators have led to novel insights and promising therapies.
