Focus IN CD CELIAC DISEASE PASSPORT presented in Milan
From 26.09.-28.09.2019, more than 80 representatives from 29 countries met in Milan to discuss the work of the Celiac Societies in Europe.
Each participating country had the opportunity to present an national outstanding project. In this context, the German Celiac Disease Society (Deutsche Zöliakie-Gesellschaft DZG) presented the new Celiac Disease Passport to all European colleagues. This passport was developed in Focus IN CD project by our project partner Dr. von Hauner Children's Hospital (University Hospital of Ludwig Maximilian's University Munich) in cooperation with DZG. The passport is addressed both for children and adult patients. It's content is already based on the most up-to-date pediatric guidelines from 2019. The main aim of this passport is to consistently and completely document a correct diagnosis of celiac disease including signature of the responsible physician, the initiation of the gluten-free diet and the regular monitoring visits. The passport further provides general information about celiac disease, it's diagnosis and main columns of the gluten-free diet in order to easily inform health care professionals without celiac expertise. A special feature is the additional celiac ID card in check-card format which the patient can e.g. show to the service staff when eating out, emphasizing the need for a gluten-free meal.
The response of the colleagues from other national patient societies has been consistently positive and we hope other countries will follow us to use this passport in their language to assure that every celiac patient in Europe can call such a pass his or her own in the future.
