Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a growing global health challenge, affecting over 7 million people worldwide. Once rare in Asia, IBD rates have increased sharply, with countries like South Korea, China and Japan experiencing rapid growth in cases. In fact, Hong Kong alone has seen a 30-fold increase in three decades, with annual costs expected to exceed HK$400 million (US$51.4 million).
IBD is driven by immune-related inflammation in the gut, causing symptoms such as abdominal pain, diarrhoea, bleeding and fatigue. In severe cases, it can lead to permanent bowel damage and the need for surgery.
Despite advances in care, many patients still receive treatment only after symptoms worsen. This wait-and-see approach may feel inevitable in overburdened health systems, but it carries a steep cost, causing lasting harm to patients and driving higher expenses for families, health systems and society. Even patients in apparent remission often have ongoing mucosal inflammation which, if left unaddressed, leads to relapses, hospitalisations and surgeries, that further burden patients and healthcare systems.
The Global Alliance for Patient Access’s (GAfPA) recent Asia-Pacific IBD regional consensus statement is a timely reminder for the Asia-Pacific region that overcoming barriers to care must be a priority. At the heart of this call is the belief that patient empowerment and timely intervention have the power to transform lives.
Patient empowerment is about more than just access to the right kind of care. It is about making shared decision-making a standard practice. Clinicians and patients should be equipped to partner on select treatments that honour patient values and preferences.
