• Visiting newly diagnosed patients and creating a health record by a general practitioner, trained in celiac disease.
  • Referring patients to secondary care units according to their needs.
  • Patient care and periodic follow-up of patients according to native guidelines developed in ICA.
  • Providing essential medical and laboratory services for primary, secondary and tertiary cares through the Poursina Hakim clinic and similar general clinics in other provinces.
  • Patients registration and periodic follow up according native guidelines developed in ICA
  • Face to face patient education, group discussions, web base educational programs for essential society needs for self-care.
  • Nutritional consultation and food preparing capability building for the members.
  • Providing psychological and psychiatric consultation
  • Providing lifestyle modification consultation.

It is usually done at two levels:

  • Average risk groups: it is done by research studies in different areas of the country to find the genetic and epidemiologic picture of the disease in our area.
  • High risk groups: A. family screening B. screening within associated diseases known to have high percentage of CD.
  • Celiac disease presents with a variety of presentation related to many different specialties, making its diagnosis difficult and unfortunately missed commonly. Many patients are treated for complications of the disease for long time before the diagnosis. One should know all possible types of its presentation and have a low threshold to test for this disease to find it. Endoscopic visual findings are not often very clear and if present, needs expertise to realize. Gastroenterologist must have clinical suspiciousness to take at least 4 biopsies from D2 and 3 pieces from D1. Histology diagnosis also requires a high level of expertise. Therefore, regular extended medical educations are necessary to keep medical staff up to date in this subject.
  • The Poursina Hakim digestive disease research center has organized several symposiums in cooperation with Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, as extended medical education programs for all nurses & medical staffs including pediatricians, internists, gynecologist, neurologists, surgeons, oncologists and gastroenterologists.
  • Iranian celiac society have set several professional educational programs to inform medical community in the fields of screening, diagnosis, treatment, follow up, and complications, since 2003, which are accessible in our website. We were also host of many know celiac experts such as prof. Chris Mulder, prof. Catassi, Prof. Sara Sleet, prof. Collin, prof. Mearin, Prof. Norma McGough, Prof. Kamran Rostami and others
  • The Education Commission of the Iranian Celiac Society aims to educate newly diagnosed patients to know what celiac disease is. They have to learn about etiology, diagnosis, primary care, treatment, prevention of its complications as well as follow ups.
  • Patients and their families should learn about major sources of gluten and hidden sources of gluten in foods, cosmetic and hygienic products. They should also learn how to prepare a gluten free diet and easiest way to buy major GFD products.

Adaptation strategies for gluten free lifestyle is facilitated by:

  • Teaching patients and their families
  • Familiarize celiac cases and their families with the society networks and responsible authorities and organizations that support the Celiac community
  • Informing patients about the medical team and supporting groups.
  • Teaching school or work officials about the patient essential cares’, needed to prevent unpleasant behavior toward patient or facing hazards in school or work.
  • Publishing educational materials including pamphlets, books, educational videos in the field of disease and Gluten Free diet.
  • Holding regular scientific conferences for health team and public awareness conferences for patients and their families.
  • Group training programs.
  • Face to face training programs for patients with special problems.
  • website & multimedia interactive educations

The research activities of the ICA are focused in three areas of basic, clinical and GFD production. We plan to discover a way to:

  • Prevent presentation of the disease in genetically susceptible cases.
  • To diagnose earlier , to treat easier and to care the complications better.
  • expanding food technologies to improve food choices along with healthiness and the safety.

Awareness of official organizations, public and private sectors responsible or obligated to support special rare diseases or populations to recognizing the disease and the problems that they may have, to facilitate the following supports for celiac society.

  • Pursuing legislations in ministry of health, insurance companies and congress to cover some of the ignored rights the celiac society.
  • Pursuing legislations in ministry of health to upgrade standards for the safety of gluten-free foods in Iran.
  • Expanding charity collection to support very poor members for food supports and health cares.
  • Family consultations for their complications, planning pregnancies, labor and other family crises.
  • Psychological and social support of patients and their families.
  • Attempting to consult and support young members for military services, marriage, living abroad, living in dormitories, travels and more.
  • Provide work-related assistance to the patients and job offers through the community.