On 26 and 27 October, the Ombudsman’s Office held discussion sessions with the main associations of celiac sufferers, specialised product providers and scientific societies, to analyse the needs and problems encountered by people suffering from celiac disease.
The Ombudsman, Soledad Becerril; the Second Assistant Ombudsman, Concepciò Ferrer; and the Head of the Office’s Health section also took part in the discussions.
Associations of celiac sufferers
Six of the largest associations from all over Spain participated in the first day’s discussions. The attendees all stressed the importance of conducting appropriate diagnostic tests for the purpose of detecting the disease as soon as possible. They also explained that keeping to a gluten-free diet is a considerable financial burden for people suffering from this disease.
They welcomed the fact that the Ombudsman’s Office has showed concern for the impact of this disease in Spain and is drawing up a study on the response being offered by the government authorities for addressing the difficulties that people in these circumstances encounter.
Producers and distributors of products for celiac
The representatives of the main producers and distributors of gluten-free foods put forward their views as well. They made the point that the high production costs of these foods determine their price. They also discussed the new European labelling regulations and the work they do to guarantee the food safety of gluten-free products.
Medical societies
The second day of the meeting featured contributions by eight medical societies whose representatives said that major advances have been made in preventing and diagnosing the disease, and insisted on conveying a message of calm and trust to people. They also called for a unification of diagnostic tests and action protocols in all the self-governing regions.
The findings of these discussion sessions will be reflected in the case study that will be sent by the Ombudsman’s Office to the Spanish Parliament and to the appropriate authorities.
