In the final episode, each panelist synthesizes their top recommendations for advancing EPI care. Sarah Enslin leads with a call for better diagnostic tools—while fecal elastase is adequate, a significant proportion of patients will never submit a stool sample regardless of education or encouragement. Blood-based testing, if validated, would dramatically improve diagnostic access and patient compliance. Her second priority is simplifying treatment: non-porcine PERT alternatives are an urgent unmet need for patients with dietary restrictions, and reducing pill burden through new formulations would improve long-term adherence. Her third recommendation targets access—patient assistance programs exist and are valuable, but navigating them adds burden in already-stretched clinical environments.

Jennifer Geremia emphasizes clinician awareness as the foundational gap: EPI is not a new disease, but it remains chronically underdiagnosed—partly due to missed recognition across specialties, and partly due to comorbidities that obscure it. She advocates for leveraging patient organizations like the National Pancreas Foundation (NPF), which provides comprehensive, no-cost resources for patients including digital nutrition guides and peer support communities. She also spotlights the often-overlooked chronic pancreatitis population, noting that these patients face stigma, pain, and fragmented care—and benefit enormously from structured pain management and palliative care engagement.

Dr. Kaul underscores that access disparities—particularly in underserved communities and rural America—represent a major structural challenge. Drawing a parallel to advances in IBD advocacy through organizations like the CCFA, he calls for the same level of organized, patient-centered advocacy in EPI and benign pancreatic disease. He highlights education platforms, industry partnerships, and peer exchange programs as actionable levers for closing the awareness gap.

The episode closes with expressions of gratitude. Dr. Kaul thanks his panelists for a rich, clinically grounded exchange and acknowledges that the conversation reflects real-world challenges that they encounter every day in their practices.

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