The Philadelphia Inquirer
Posted on Mon, Jan. 16, 2006

Letters

Celiac disease

Thank you for the excellent Page-One story, “Hidden danger is coming into focus” (Jan. 3). This article accomplished double duty. First, it informed thousands of people, including patients and their physicians, about the nature of celiac disease and the reality that it is not rare but actually affects about 1 percent of the population. That means doctors will consider the diagnosis and help patients narrow down the cause of their continuing illness.

Second, it will benefit those already diagnosed as more and more people, including those who prepare food in public eateries, become aware of celiac disease. Celiac children who eat in the school cafeteria and adults struggling to find safe food in a restaurant, for example, may have an easier time making safe food choices.

Recent attention from the National Institutes of Health and Congress has led to new allergen labeling laws that will benefit celiacs. But more needs to be done to find other treatments and cures. Every time someone learns about celiac disease, we move closer to achieving that goal.

Ann Whelan
Editor/publisher
Gluten-Free Living magazine
Yonkers, N.Y.