5 Gastroenterology Headlines You Missed in August 2025

August 2025 spotlighted some of the most complex challenges in gastroenterology, from the burden of functional GI disorders to evolving strategies for Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) prevention. In recognition of gastroparesis awareness month, HCPLive Gastroenterology spoke with leading experts about the controversies shaping current care and the innovations that could redefine treatment. Meanwhile, new survey and trial data highlighted the persistent daily impact of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and the promise of novel gut-brain behavior therapies to improve outcomes.

In parallel, CDI remained a pressing concern. Research underscored the limits of antibiotic stewardship alone in reducing risk, while targeted screening and prophylaxis interventions showed encouraging results in high-risk, immunocompromised patients. Together, these findings reinforce both the complexity and opportunity in advancing care across GI disease.

Check out this August 2025 gastroenterology month in review for a recap of HCPLive’s coverage of the top GI news and research from the past few weeks:

Rethinking Gastroparesis: Controversies in Care and the Search for Better Answers

In honor of August being gastroparesis awareness month, the editorial team of HCPLive Gastroenterology spoke with a trio of experts about unmet needs in gastroparesis and what advances they believe hold the potential to reshape the future of care. Brian Lacy, MD, PhD, Douglas Weinstein, MD, and Adelina Hung, MD, offer their perspectives on what’s missing and what’s next in the world of gastroparesis.

Despite Advances, IBS Continues to Impact Patients' Daily Lives, Productivity

Despite recent advancements in public awareness and treatment options for IBS, a new survey from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) and The Harris Poll suggests IBS symptoms continue to significantly impact patients’ daily lives and productivity. Specifically, findings from the IBS in America survey shed light on persistent challenges faced by patients with IBS as well as shifts in patient experiences, health care provider perceptions, and the treatment landscape for IBS from a similar study conducted in 2015.

Positive Psychological Gut-Brain Behavior Therapy Shows Early Benefit for IBS

New research sheds light on the potential benefit of Well-being in IBS: Strengths and Happiness (WISH), a novel, 9-week, manualized, phone-delivered, IBS-specific positive psychological intervention, for improving psychological and IBS-related outcomes. Use of the positive psychological-based gut-brain behavior therapy was explored in a proof-of-concept trial, with findings highlighting its feasibility, acceptability, and early benefits for IBS symptom severity, IBS HRQoL, depression, GI symptom-specific anxiety, pain catastrophizing, avoidant/restrictive eating behaviors, physical activity engagement, and resilience.

Antibiotic Stewardship Alone Not Sufficient for C Diff Infection Prevention, Study Finds

Findings from a recent study suggest the need for CDI prevention strategies beyond antibiotic stewardship, highlighting antibiotic exposure’s minimal impact on infection risk in asymptomatic carriers. The retrospective cohort study examined > 33,000 hospitalizations among 23,001 patients and found asymptomatic carriers had a greater hazard of CDI, with antibiotic exposure linked to increased infection risk. Of note, antibiotic exposure was not significantly associated with additional hazard among carriers, suggesting antibiotic stewardship may not effectively reduce CDI risk in this population.

Targeted C Diff Screening, Prophylaxis Reduces Hospital-Onset Infection

Implementing a targeted C.difficile screening and prophylaxis intervention may offer several notable benefits for high-risk immunocompromised patients, leading to subsequent reductions in hospital-onset infection, length of stay, and symptoms. In a recent study, the screening and targeted prophylaxis (STOP) intervention was implemented over a 2-year period and focused on patients newly admitted for solid organ transplant and planned oncology treatment admissions for autologous stem cell transplant, CAR-T, and leukemia treatment, populations known to be disproportionately affected by CDI but who may not benefit from universal primary prophylaxis approaches. Compared with historical controls in the 2 years prior to implementation of the intervention, STOP was effective at reducing hospital-onset CDI and associated symptoms.