Healthy Gut Bacteria Transplant to Replace Crohn's Disease Medication

This trial is testing fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT)—a procedure where healthy gut bacteria from a donor are transferred into your digestive system—as a way to help people with Crohn's disease maintain remission without needing ongoing anti-TNF medication. Crohn's disease involves an imbalance in gut bacteria and an overactive immune response; the idea is that healthy bacteria from a donor might help restore balance and allow you to stay well. Half of participants will receive the real transplant, and half will receive a sham (fake) transplant, so researchers can see if the treatment truly works.

Current Crohn's disease medications are expensive and can cause serious side effects, so doctors need safer alternatives—especially for patients whose disease is already under control. Early research suggests that transplanting healthy gut bacteria might help some people stay in remission without medication, but larger, rigorous studies are needed to prove this works.