Allergan plc, a global pharmaceutical company, has launched IBSDonTract.com, an online resource for those living with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D). IBS-D, which affects approximately 15 million adults in the US, is a functional bowel disorder commonly characterized by chronic abdominal pain and frequent diarrhoea. The new website is a part of Allergan's continued efforts to help educate the public and patients about IBS-D, and includes key information about symptoms, condition management and tips on speaking with a healthcare provider about IBS-D.

"IBS-D can have a significant impact on patients' daily lives – but in many cases, due to embarrassment or uncertainty about symptoms, patients wait years before seeing a doctor," said Gavin Corcoran, MD, FACP, chief medical officer, Allergan. "IBSDonTract.com is an important resource for patients seeking to better understand the condition and their options. It also helps to explain why talking to their healthcare provider sooner rather than later is critically important, in order to shorten the time between symptom onset and effective disease management."

According to findings from the American Gastroenterological Association's (AGA) "IBS in America Survey," the most comprehensive IBS survey ever conducted, polling more than 3,200 sufferers and 300 physicians, 66 per cent of patients suffer with symptoms for more than a year before talking with a doctor and 11 percent of patients wait a decade or more before seeking medical help. IBSDonTract.com features information that can help patients have a more productive conversation with their healthcare provider, including resources such as a symptom tracker, self-assessment tool and doctor discussion guide.

Irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhoea (IBS-D) is a functional bowel disorder characterized by chronic abdominal pain and frequent diarrhoea, which affects approximately 15 million patients in the US. Although the exact cause of IBS-D is not known, symptoms are thought to result from a disturbance in the way the gastrointestinal tract and nervous system interact.

IBS-D can be debilitating and there are limited therapeutic options for managing the chronic symptoms. IBS-D is associated with economic burden in direct medical costs and indirect social costs such as absenteeism and lost productivity, along with decreased quality of life.