Sunanda V. Kane, M.D.

The research interests of Sunanda V. Kane, M.D., are in the area of inflammatory bowel disease — Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. She is particularly interested in medication adherence and gender issues.

Focus areas

• Clinical trials with investigational agents
• Medication compliance and its effects on disease outcomes
• Gender issues in inflammatory bowel disease, such as menstrual and fertility problems, pregnancy and nursing management, and cervical cancers

Significance to patient care

Medication adherence is important to patient care because non-adherence is one of the main reasons for continued disease activity. Understanding the consequences of non-adherent behavior is the first step in trying to educate patients and optimize patient outcomes.

With her research, Dr. Kane has demonstrated that once-daily therapy is possible, and that non-adherence is associated with higher medical costs, more hospitalizations and more disease activity. While this seems self-evident, it had not previously been quantified.

Dr. Kane has also been looking into tools that can be used in the clinic to help identify non-adherent behavior so that counseling can occur. She has developed teaching modules and educational materials to help health care providers identify patients at high risk of non-adherence.

Professional highlights

• Member, Board of Trustees, American College of Gastroenterology, 2007-present
• Associate Editor (first female in that role), Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 2010-present
• James L.A. Roth Visiting Professor, Thomas Jefferson University, 2012
• Chair, Patient Education Committee, Crohn's & Colitis Foundation of America, 2008-2011
• Chair, Women's Committee, American College of Gastroenterology, 2005-2008