For millions of Canadians, a gastrointestinal diagnosis marks the beginning of a daunting journey, one often characterized by clinical jargon, long wait times for specialists, and a frustrating “post-diagnosis gap.”
In an era where health misinformation is rampant, Gail Attara has spent decades serving as a reliable North Star. As the Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of the Gastrointestinal Society and President of its sister charity, the Canadian Society of Intestinal Research (CSIR).
Gail has overseen the evolution of these organizations into a powerful national presence where her resolve is driven by a singular, uncompromising motto: “the patient comes first.” This philosophy directs her commitment to increasing awareness about digestive illnesses, which affect more than 60% of the Canadian population from “gum to bum.”
In this interview, we discuss why Canada has become a global hotspot for conditions like IBD and IBS, the ongoing battle for equitable medication access across the provinces, and how the Society translates cutting-edge research into practical tools for daily life. From the connection between mental health and the gut to the importance of patient-focused policy, we explore how the Gastrointestinal Society is helping reshape the landscape of Canadian gastrointestinal healthcare.
Leslie Andrachuk: You’ve led the Gastrointestinal Society for decades with the motto, ‘the patient comes first.’ How does this principle shape the way your organization translates complex medical research into something a Canadian patient can actually use to improve their daily life?
Gail Attara: When patients receive a diagnosis for a gastrointestinal condition from their physician, they are often left confused, without much information. The next step for many is looking online for advice. And there is a big problem here, because there is so much misinformation out there.
At the GI Society, we stay up to date by reading medical research and consulting with healthcare experts. We then take that information and create articles for our newsletter and website as well as videos and infographs to better help visual learners. We provide content aimed for the general public as well as for specific groups, such as seniors and children, aiming to make it easy to understand without leaving out essential information.
Many of our resources focus on useful tips for being involved in their own care, managing symptoms, dealing with nutrition and lifestyle changes, coping with stigma, and more. We also provide free patient information pamphlets to physicians, hospitals, and clinics throughout the country in French and English on 35 topics to give to their patients as applicable.
But the motto applies even before that. I always tell researchers and manufacturers to consult patients even when a medication is just a twinkle in their eye so we can give feedback on potential new treatments.
What we really need in Canada is Patient-focused health policy. You can read our report here.
We also encourage individuals living with any health condition to practice health self-care, as outlined in this article, as well as to keep up with their mental health, outlined in various articles here, as mental health is so connected to the gut.
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LA: Statistics show that Canada has some of the highest rates of IBS and IBD globally, with projections suggesting 1% of the population will live with IBD by 2030. In your view, why is Canada such a hotspot for digestive issues, and what does this mean for our national healthcare priorities?
Gail Attara: We don’t know for sure why rates are higher in Canada. Researchers have floated several ideas, from environmental to dietary contributors. We also need to consider access to healthcare and stigma, that more people are living with these conditions in other parts of the world and might be suffering there in silence.
When it comes to our national healthcare priorities, digestive health needs to be at the forefront. People living with digestive and liver conditions, including obesity, still endure a lot of stigma and shame in Canada. Untreated digestive conditions can also have cascading effects. If your digestive tract isn’t working properly and you are unable to eat a balanced diet or have problems absorbing nutrients, then you can end up with a host of other issues.
LA: A major hurdle for many Canadians is the ‘post-diagnosis gap’, waiting for specialists or struggling to afford advanced medications for conditions like Eosinophilic Esophagitis (EoE) or Crohn’s. What are the top policy changes or advocacy wins the GI Society is currently fighting for to improve patient access?
Gail Attara: These past few decades have led to countless discoveries and amazing new treatments that are revolutionizing care for these diseases, but there are systems in place in Canada that make it more difficult for physicians to prescribe these medications and patients to afford them.
We work directly with regulatory, recommending, and decision-making government groups to fight for access and affordability for life-changing medications. The problem is that access and affordability vary greatly between provinces, territories, and federal programs.
Some of the wins we are fighting for this year:
✅Ongoing conversations with provinces to optimize care for IBD and obesity.
✅In the rare disease space, we are hoping to see coverage of medication for eosinophilic esophagitis, which is only a small budget item, but the jurisdictions are not covering it (I can provide more details if you need them)
✅Ongoing work raising equity in public medication coverage in BC, which fall so far behind the other jurisdictions.
LA: For someone who has just received a life-changing diagnosis—like stomach cancer or a chronic GI disorder, the path forward is often terrifying. Can you walk us through the specific support systems (like your support groups or educational resources) that help Canadians navigate the ‘new normal’ of their health?
Gail Attara: Support groups are a great resource. Our IBD support group has been running for decades, and we also have an IBS support group that focuses on mental health, as well as an IBS Facebook group. These are all online so people across Canada can connect with others going through the same thing.
Our in-person BadGut® Lectures are an especially significant resource. We have healthcare experts such as gastroenterologists, nurses, dietitians, and/or mental health care professionals present detailed information on the given topic and then have a question-and-answer period. Attendees then connect with us as an ongoing resource for information that they may need, and we can connect them to other organizations or services that they are looking for.
LA: You don’t just support patients; you also support the people who treat them. How does the GI Society work with Canadian digestive health professionals through training, data, or resources to ensure the standard of care across the country remains world-class?
Gail Attara: We work with healthcare professionals wherever we can to support our work. All our materials go to our Medical Advisory Council for review, and we consult them on many of our projects to get insight. We also work with healthcare professionals across the country to present at our BadGut® lectures and take part in meetings with government and other stakeholders to move the dial on improving care.
The GI Society has been a fantastic source for healthcare professionals for decades. One of our longest running programs is our patient information pamphlets, which reaches 50 years this fall. We ship tens of thousands of these resources to hospitals and doctors’ offices across the country each year, with 35 topics available in both English and French.
Healthcare experts consider these a vital tool, as they often don’t have enough time to sit with patients and explain the ins and outs of their new diagnosis. Our BadGut® Lectures are another valuable resource, as we usually find that about 15% of those who attend each event are healthcare professionals.
LA: There is growing public fascination with the gut microbiome and its link to mental health. How is the Gastrointestinal Society helping Canadians distinguish between ‘wellness trends’ and evidence-based science when it comes to gut health and the microbiome?
Gail Attara: We do our best to publish current information and to dispel myths, but with the rampant scammers on social media, it is a long, hard battle. We do have strong relationships with researchers and pass their results on in lay terms.
LA: Looking at the mission of the Gastrointestinal Society and CSIR, how can Canadians who are either suffering in silence or looking to support the cause get involved or find the help they need today?
Gail Attara: Visit our website at badgut.org, or find us on social media, and simply reach out. We are a small team, but we are mighty and well connected. We want to make meaningful change for digestive and liver health, including obesity, from coast-to-coast-to-coast.
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