THE CELIAC-DISEASE TASK-FORCE FREE FROM GLUTEN - IMPROVED KNOWLEDGE TO CURE CELIAC-DISEASE

Gluten has recently been introduced into the diet of the Mediterranean and European population, but a considerable proportion has not adapte d to this change and has developed intolerance to gluten. At least one million EEC citizens are gluten intolerant. In Italy each year 12 mil lion ECU is spent in the diagnosis of uncomplicated gluten intolerance , 10 million ECU for complex diagnosis and 32 million ECU for long-ter m complications and malignancies. The total financial load of gluten i ntolerance, in its present state, is about 150 million ECU/year in Ita ly. Four million ECU is actually needed to develop a genetic probe, wh ich may make the population screening feasible. A National Task Force ''Free from Gluten'' has been set up by the Italian Coeliac Society to stimulate fund-raising activities supporting genetic and basic resear ch on gluten intolerance.