Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) refers to a group of chronic inflammatory conditions that affect the gastrointestinal tract. The two most common types of IBD are Crohn’s disease, which can impact any portion of the digestive system from mouth to anus, and ulcerative colitis, which is restricted to the colon and rectum. Up to 0.5% of the Western world[1] is estimated to suffer from IBD and associated medical costs may exceed $6 billion annually.
