Only 30 days until UEG Week 2013 in Berlin

Group hypnotherapy provides long-term benefits to patients with irritable bowel syndrome: meet the expert who conducted the study

Only 30 days until UEG Week 2013 in Berlin, Europe’s largest gastroenterology congress

(Berlin, September 11, 2013) Gut-directed hypnotherapy in individual sessions has been shown in many studies to be an effective treatment for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Now, for the first time, a randomised controlled study has demonstrated that group hypnotherapy can be just as effective as individual treatment, providing long-term relief from a range of IBS symptoms and improving patient well-being. “We have shown in our study that group hypnosis is an effective treatment option for IBS with no side effects,” says Professor Gabriele Moser from the University Clinic for Internal Medicine in Vienna, Austria, who will be presenting the results of this important study at the first of two press conferences at the 21st United European Gastroenterology Week (UEG Week), which will take place at the ICC Berlin, Germany, from October 12 to 16, 2013.

Journalists attending the press conference on Monday, October 14, 2013, 12.00–13.30 h, will hear Prof. Moser discuss the medical treatment options currently available for people with IBS and describe disappointing progress in the development of new drug treatments for this condition. She will explain how gut-directed hypnotherapy is applied and present evidence of its benefits when delivered on an individual basis. Prof. Moser will then describe the first study of its kind ever conducted looking at the use of group hypnotherapy in a large group of patients with severe and/or incapacitating IBS symptoms who had failed to respond to all previous treatments. The study, which has just been published, offers hope of an end to the misery of IBS for many sufferers and will be of great interest to the IBS community and medical specialists. Journalists will have the chance to quiz Prof. Moser about the results of her study and when and how she believes hypnotherapy should be applied in the treatment of IBS.

Participants from all over the world

UEG Week is the largest and most prestigious gastroenterology meeting in Europe and has developed into a global congress. It attracts over 14,000 participants each year, from more than 120 countries, and numbers are steadily rising. UEG Week provides a forum for basic and clinical scientists from across the globe to present their latest research in digestive and liver diseases, and also features a two-day postgraduate course that brings together top lecturers in their fields for a weekend of interactive learning.

The latest information at first hand

UEG Week Berlin 2013 offers journalists a unique opportunity to obtain first-hand expert information on diseases of the stomach, bowel, oesophagus, liver, pancreas and gallbladder, which affect millions of people. Local and international speakers will be available to answer questions at two press conferences and at the press centre. The press conferences will take place on Monday, October 14, 12.00–13.30 h, and on Tuesday, October 15, 12.00–13.30 h. At Monday’s press conference there will also be a live demonstration of a colonoscopy using a mechanical training model. For further information on the congress, please refer to the following website:
http://www.ueg.eu/week/

Journalists wishing to register for the event can already do so online at:
https://uegw.congress-online.com/guest/Press_reg

Notes to Editors

About UEG

UEG, or United European Gastroenterology, is a professional non-profit organisation combining all the leading European societies concerned with digestive diseases. Together, its member societies represent over 22,000 specialists, working across medicine, surgery, paediatrics, gastrointestinal oncology and endoscopy. This makes UEG the most comprehensive organisation of its kind in the world, and a unique platform for collaboration and the exchange of knowledge.

To advance standards of gastroenterological care and knowledge across Europe and the world, UEG offers numerous activities and initiatives besides UEG Week, including:

– Courses, covering the latest science and clinical information in the field, including diagnosis, treatment and real-life examples
– UEG e-learning, an ever-expanding archive of over 11,000 documents and more than 1,000 multimedia items, as well as accredited e-courses
– Training Support, funding for innovative training and educational programmes, as well as international scientific and professional co-operations
– UEG Journal, published bi-monthly, covering translational and clinical studies from all areas of gastroenterology
– EU Affairs, promoting research, prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of digestive diseases, and helping develop an effective health policy for Europe

Find out more about UEG’s work. Visit www.ueg.eu

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