McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, will study the efficacy of fecal transplants on children suffering from inflammatory bowel disease. Nikhil Pai, MD — an assistant professor in the university's department of pediatrics, division of gastroenterology and nutrition — is the study's principal investigator.
Here's what you need to know:
1. At present, fecal transplant has been established as a viable treatment for adults with IBD. However, research on pediatric fecal transplant is lacking.
2. The study, which is currently recruiting six- to 17-year-old ulcerative colitis patients, investigates whether fecal transplants are a viable treatment for children who want to avoid additional medication or surgery.
3. This research is the first pediatric fecal transplant study in Canada and the first randomized, controlled trial on this topic in the world.