Ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease...what's the difference? Is it really that important to know which form of IBD you have? Yes, because the differences are major and could significantly affect treatment decisions. However, it's not always easy -- even for highly trained physicians -- to distinguish between these two conditions. Learn about the differences between Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

World IBD Day is Sunday, May 19th. I encourage you to spread the word about IBD in whatever way you feel comfortable. That may mean

• Talking to your friends and family about IBD
• Getting co-workers involved in a Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA) Walk or other fundraiser
• Volunteering your time to help someone with IBD who is struggling.

If you are using Twitter, you can follow the World IBD organization at http://www.twitter.com/WorldIBDDay, and if you're tweeting about World IBD Day, you can use the tag #worldibdday in your message. The CCFA encourages you to use the logo at left to publicize the day on your web site or your social networking profiles.

Janssen Ortho Biotech, Inc. announced that it has gained approval from the Food and Drug Administration to market the medication Simponi for the treatment of moderate to severe ulcerative colitis. Simponi (golimumab) is an anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha drug, similar to other drugs approved in recent years to treat IBD. It is currently indicated for use in adults who have not responded to other drug therapies (such as aminosalicylates, corticosteroids, azathioprine, and 6-mercaptopurine).

Simponi was studied in the Program of Ulcerative Colitis Research Studies Utilizing an Investigational Treatment (PURSUIT) clinical trials. In the trial, patients who were treated with Simponi, showed improvement with compared with patients who took a placebo. The effects of the drug were studied through 54 weeks of treatment. Side effects included upper respiratory tract infection, injection-site reactions, and viral infections.

Simponi is also approved for moderately to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with the medicine methotrexate, psoriatic arthritis alone or with the medicine methotrexate, and ankylosing spondylitis.

Humira (adalimumab) is a drug that was originally used to treat rheumatoid arthritis. It is now also approved to treat Crohn's disease. You may wonder how one drug can be used to treat two such different conditions. The reason is that Humira blocks the compound that is thought to play a role in the inflammatory process of both diseases. Learn more about this drug and how it works for Crohn's disease.

More About Humira:

• Humira Frequently Asked Questions
• Humira Crosses The Placenta During Pregnancy
• Humira and Remicade May Increase Risk of Shingles
• Facts About Humira