Finalist
Microscopic Colitis Roadshow
Summary of work
People with microscopic colitis (MC) are plagued by chronic diarrhoea so debilitating that it can leave them housebound, isolated and depressed. As many as 18 people per 100,000 develop the condition every year, yet awareness is very low, so patients can become locked in a cycle of repeat GP consultations, inappropriate treatments, misdiagnosis and misery.
When our company was granted a licence indication for MC, we discovered a remarkable lack of knowledge among healthcare professionals (HCPs), as well as significant variation in diagnostic and treatment processes across the country.
As a small company, our resources are limited, so a major disease awareness campaign was out of the question. We set about raising awareness through a series of accessible regional symposia, with a renowned international expert as the keynote speaker.
This focused approach proved highly effective at clearing up misconceptions and highlighting the devastating impact MC can have on patients’ lives, and enabled us to provide effective solutions for clinicians. Importantly, it also motivated delegates to help spread the word through further educational activities.
Judges’ comments
We were impressed with how the Microscopic Colitis Roadshow transformed patients’ lives. The rationale was clear, which addressed an unmet need. The meeting was optimised to a small budget delivering some really great insights and lessons learned.
