ajg_cimagePosition Paper: Changing Nomenclature for PBC: From ‘Cirrhosis’ to ‘Cholangitis’

The November issue of the Red Journal includes a position paper in which an international group of experts and patient advocates propose to change the name ‘primary biliary cirrhosis’ to ‘primary biliary cholangitis’ to: “‘‘correct the inaccuracy’ and ‘remove the cirrhosis stigma’ as well as all the misunderstanding, disadvantages and discriminations emanating from this misnomer in daily life of the patients.”

The authors write:

“The name change for primary biliary cirrhosis offers the unique opportunity for new awareness campaigns among medical professionals as well as patient groups to draw more attention to immunemediated biliary diseases like PBC or PSC and, ultimately, their early correct diagnosis and treatment.

From ‘cirrhosis’ to ‘cholangitis’—the change has critical implications for patients. It removes the stigmata of cirrhosis and its implications of alcohol abuse.”

This position paper was published jointly in American Journal of Gastroenterology, Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Clinics and Research in Hepatology and Gastroenterology, Digestive and Liver Disease, Gastroenterology, Gut, Hepatology and Journal of Hepatology.

Free full text of this position paper is available via the AJG site at http://goo.gl/n0qzyG