The long-awaited translations of the Guidelines of the European Crohn’s and Colitis Organisation (ECCO) and the European Federation of Crohn’s & Ulcerative Colitis Associations (EFCCA) have been completed and were officially presented during the 12th ECCO Congress, held in Barcelona from 15–18 February.
The ECCO Guidelines for Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis are considered a key reference point for the proper management of these conditions by the majority of clinicians treating Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (IBD) across Europe. By translating these guidelines from highly technical medical language into plain, everyday language, patients and gastroenterologists are provided with a common foundation of knowledge that can facilitate dialogue, understanding, and shared decision-making. Patient education has been shown to be a critical factor in empowering individuals to properly manage their disease and its impact on their quality of life.
One year after the 2016 press conference, during which the ECCO and EFCCA Patient Guidelines were officially published in English, the guidelines are now available in 29 languages spoken in ECCO and EFCCA member countries. The goal is to remove language barriers and bridge knowledge gaps. The translation process was based on collaboration between patient representatives and gastroenterology representatives from each country, with the vision of strengthening every translation through the exchange of information and expertise among participants. It was a challenging project, but one that proved highly rewarding for everyone involved.
For Greece and Cyprus, the translations were completed through the collaboration of the Hellenic Society of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Patients (HELLESCC) and the Hellenic Group for the Study of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (EOMIFNE)*.
Patient Guidelines for Crohn’s Disease / Click here
Patient Guidelines for Ulcerative Colitis / Click here
*This text is reproduced from the Hellenic Society of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Patients (HELLESCC) with permission.
