Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Help Celiac.com:
    eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Record is Archived

    This article is now archived and is closed to further replies.

    Jefferson Adams
    Jefferson Adams

    Quick Home Celiac Disease Test Debuts in Canada

    Reviewed and edited by a celiac disease expert.

    Celiac.com 02/27/2009 - A simple, reliable low-cost home screening test for celiac disease recently made its Canadian debut.

    According to health officials, about 1% of the population, or one out of every 100 Americans suffers from celiac disease. Currently, that total number of Americans with celiac disease stands somewhere near 3 million. Sadly, upwards of 97% of those affected remain undiagnosed.

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A12):
    For people with celiac disease, eating gluten—a protein found in wheat, rye and barley—causes damage to the lining of the small intestine, preventing the uptake of nutrients.

    Delayed diagnosis can put people at risk for certain types of cancer and many other associated conditions, including infertility. Early diagnosis of celiac disease is actually quite easy and carries many advantages.

    Still, the average time for a correct diagnosis of celiac disease is 10 years from the first onset of symptoms. That figure is 12 years for Canadians, according to a 2007 survey of the 5000 member Canadian Celiac Association. Checking for celiac disease involves a simple blood test and usually a biopsy to follow up on positive results. Until now, that blood test was available solely through a doctor. Often, believing celiac to be rare, doctors are reluctant to order the blood test without overwhelming evidence. This can be problematical, as most people being diagnosed these days do not have classical symptoms, and are often asymptomatic. Numerous people have been forced to visit multiple doctors before confirming their diagnosis.

    Recently, the Finnish firm AniBiotech developed a unique, patient-friendly celiac disease test kit that can be used to provide quick, accurate results at home. Marketed in Canada by 2G Pharma, the Biocard™ Celiac Test Kit works by metering gluten antibody levels from a tiny fingertip blood sample, and is the currently the only point-of-care celiac disease test kit approved by Health Canada.

    The test tells users with a high degree of accuracy that they are either negative, developing celiac disease, or already have celiac disease. In the last two cases, the specially formulated Canadian kit encourages people to consult a physician for confirmation, which usually involves a biopsy of the small bowel.

    The Biocard™ Celiac Test Kit is currently available in Canada at London Drugs, Rexall Pharma Plus, and other major Canadian retail chains. More information can be found at Open Original Shared Link.

    The test kit is currently awaiting approval for U.S. distribution.



    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Guest Beth Durfey

    Posted

    I would love to get a hold of one of those meters. I need to get some of my family tested, but they will not go to a doctor to do it. They are afraid. I don't blame them but they need to know if they are Celiac or not.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Cindy Eckhoff

    Posted

    I was able to get a test kit sent to California for around 70.00. My son tested negative.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites
    Guest Dr Vikki Petersen

    Posted

    While I applaud the increased availability of testing, the advice of confirming the test via an intestinal biopsy is becoming outdated and subjects many patients who are gluten sensitive to a life of illness and misery when they don't meet that rigid standard.

     

    Research shows us that waiting for an intestinal biopsy to be positive before taking action is dangerous and akin to waiting for someone to have their first heart attack before cautioning them about cardiovascular disease - it's too little too late.

     

    I am very supportive of having the 97% of those with undiagnosed celiac (1% of our population) receive a proper diagnosis. But I don't want to forget the 40% of the population that are gluten sensitive and whom will display a negative biopsy.

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites


    Guest
    This is now closed for further comments

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Help Celiac.com:
    Donate
  • About Me

    Jefferson Adams

    Jefferson Adams is Celiac.com's senior writer and Digital Content Director. He earned his B.A. and M.F.A. at Arizona State University. His articles, essays, poems, stories and book reviews have appeared in numerous magazines, journals, and websites, including North American Project, Antioch Review, Caliban, Mississippi Review, Slate, and more. He is the author of more than 2,500 articles on celiac disease. His university coursework includes studies in science, scientific methodology, biology, anatomy, physiology, medicine, logic, and advanced research. He previously devised health and medical content for Colgate, Dove, Pfizer, Sharecare, Walgreens, and more. Jefferson has spoken about celiac disease to the media, including an appearance on the KQED radio show Forum, and is the editor of numerous books, including "Cereal Killers" by Scott Adams and Ron Hoggan, Ed.D.

    >VIEW ALL ARTICLES BY JEFFERSON ADAMS

     


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Related Articles

    Scott Adams
    The following list was taken from the Fall, 1996 Celiac Disease Foundation Newsletter.
    Anemia IBS Psychological stress, nerves, imagination Diarrhea IBD Diabetes Spastic Colon Ulcers Virus (Viral Gastroenteritis) Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Weight-loss Allergies Amoeba, Parasites, Infection Gallbladder Disease Thyroid Disease Cancer, Lymphoma, Digestive Colitis Cystic Fibrosis Lactose Intolerance Reflux Data from an on-going Celiac Disease Foundation study of 600 Biopsy-proven celiacs.


    Scott Adams
    Gene Ther 2003 May;10(10):835-43
    Londei M, Quaratino S, Maiuri L.
    Institute of Child Health, University College London, London, UK.
    Celiac.com 05/29/2003 - This highly technical and hopeful article covers the possibility of using gene therapy to one day cure celiac disease. Here are the introduction and final words:
    "Gene therapy (GT) is still at the experimental stage and some recent setbacks have cooled the potential use of this therapeutic tool even in life-threatening conditions. However, this therapeutic approach has a potential, which is not limited to disease for which we have not other option. There are increasing evidence that GT will be soon used in diseases that are not life threatening. One group of diseases that can benefit from GT is the autoimmune...


    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 10/30/2007 - A recent study published in the August issue of American Journal of Gastroenterology suggest that villous atrophy in suspected cases of celiac disease can be reliably detected by video capsule enteroscopy (VCE).
    Reliable diagnosis presently demands the identification of tell-tale lesions in the mucosa of the small bowel. Accomplishing such identification requires an endoscopy of the upper gastrointestinal tract, and multiple duodenal biopsies.
    A team of Italian researchers evaluated the effectiveness of Video Capsule Enteroscopy against the standard endoscopy of the upper GI with biopsies of the second portion of the duodenum in patients suspected of having celiac disease. The research team included Emanuele Rondonotti, M.D.; Cristiano Spada, M.D.; David...


    Jefferson Adams
    Celiac.com 04/20/2010 - A team of researchers recently set out to determine whether new serology assays can detect gluten sensitivity among enteropathy patients seronegative for anti–tissue transglutaminase.
    Emilia Sugai, Hui Jer Hwang, Horacio Vázquez, Edgardo Smecuol, Sonia Niveloni, Roberto Mazure, Eduardo Mauriño, Pascale Aeschlimann, Walter Binder, Daniel Aeschlimann and Julio C. Bai comprised the research team.
    They are variously affiliated with the Small Bowel Section of the Department of Medicine at C. Bonorino Udaondo Gastroenterology Hospital in Buenos Aires, Argentina, the Matrix Biology and Tissue Repair Research Unit at the Cardiff University School of Dentistry in Cardiff, UK, and with INOVA Diagnostics, Inc., of San Diego, California.
    Some patients wit...


  • Recent Activity

    1. - knitty kitty replied to Holly15892's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      7

      Growth spurt after diagnosis in adulthood

    2. - shadycharacter replied to Linedancegal's topic in Introduce Yourself / Share Stuff
      3

      25 year biopsy confirmed/ate pizza with no ill effects?

    3. - LimpToeTheTimeless replied to Holly15892's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      7

      Growth spurt after diagnosis in adulthood

    4. - trents replied to AlyO's topic in Parents, Friends and Loved Ones of Celiacs
      3

      Possible gluten exposure in 4yo


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      120,463
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    shadowblackwood
    Newest Member
    shadowblackwood
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      120.2k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Popular Now

    • Hannah24
    • jessiemariecar
    • Rhonda H
    • HayleyC123
    • Touche
  • Popular Articles

    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
    • Scott Adams
  • Upcoming Events

×
×
  • Create New...