November 12–13, 2025 – Hosted by the Colorado Center for Celiac Disease
The 2025 Celiac Disease Screening Symposium brought together leading clinicians, researchers, psychologists, economists, and patient advocates for two days of rigorous discussion on one essential question: What will it take to make celiac disease screening part of standard public health practice?
Funded again by a grant from the Celiac Disease Foundation, the second annual conference brought in speakers from around the world including Finland, Sweden, Italy, Norway, and the Netherlands, shared results from major population studies and outlined what the global community has learned about diagnosing celiac disease earlier, more consistently, and more effectively. Across every session, one theme emerged clearly: meaningful progress will require long-term collaboration between science and advocacy.
During the symposium’s session, “Proposal to Policy,” Marilyn Geller, CEO of the Celiac Disease Foundation, delivered her talk, “From Voices to Action: How Patient Advocacy Can Drive Screening Initiatives.” Her remarks grounded the room in both urgency and realism.
Marilyn emphasized that while scientific evidence supporting screening is growing, turning that evidence into policy is a long-term effort, one that depends on coordinated voices across research, medicine, and the patient community.
Marilyn noted, “There is still a long road ahead before celiac disease screening becomes policy. But progress starts with bringing together researchers, clinicians, and the patient community to define what’sneeded and what’s possible. This symposium was an important step in that process.”
Her message underscored the critical role that patient-centered organizations play in shaping the future of diagnosis, not by declaring victory prematurely, but by building the long-term groundwork needed for real, sustainable policy change.
Sessions throughout the symposium illuminated the substantial impact of the current diagnostic gap. An estimated 80% of people with celiac disease remain undiagnosed, and many experience years of preventable symptoms and complications. Delayed diagnosis increases risks for growth issues in children, bone disease, anemia, infertility, additional autoimmune conditions, and reduced quality of life. Countries that have conducted systematic screening demonstrate earlier diagnosis and better long-term outcomes. The message was clear: screening saves years of suffering, but only if health systems adopt it. However, there are also still ethical, economic, and psychosocial concerns with screening asymptomatic individuals that need to be addressed.
Presentations from leading international screening initiatives—including the Finland Experience, Sweden’s TRIAD Study, Italy’s D1Ce Study, the Netherlands’ GLUTENSCREEN Project, Norway’s HUNT Study, and Colorado’s ASK Study—offered models for how populations can be screened safely and effectively. These programs demonstrated that earlier detection improves health outcomes across entire communities and provides a roadmap for what might be possible in the United States with the right research and policy infrastructure.
The symposium closed with a panel discussion examining what it will take to move from proposals to implementation. Participants highlighted that researchers identify what works, clinicians deliver care, systems determine feasibility, and patient advocacy organizations help chart the course forward.
Reflecting on these discussions, co-organizer Dr. Marisa Stahl emphasized the importance of using this momentum to sharpen the research agenda. “As we think about screening, we have to be honest about what we know and what we still need to learn. This meeting helped us identify the key questions and the kinds of studies that will truly move the field forward and ultimately inform policy.”
The 2025 Celiac Disease Screening Symposium made one thing clear: we are at the beginning, not the end, of the journey toward a national screening strategy. But the collaboration, honesty, and momentum on display throughout the meeting showed that the path forward is real. With sustained scientific progress and a strong advocacy voice, it is achievable.
The Celiac Disease Foundation looks forward to providing continued funding and collaboration for future symposiums.