Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are common conditions with a rising burden. Despite the increased demand placed on health-care systems, little attention has been given to the design and implementation of efficient and effective models of care for patients with NAFLD. As pointed out by F. Kanwal et al. (Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA), “yet there are significant management gaps between clinical guidelines and practice in patients with NAFLD and NASH. Further, there is no single global guiding strategy for the management of NAFLD and NASH.”

The American Gastroenterological Association, in collaboration with 7 professional associations, convened an international conference comprising 32 experts from the United States, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The participants reviewed and discussed published literature on global burden, screening, risk stratification, diagnosis, and management of individuals with NAFLD and NASH to issue a call to action.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the more aggressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and is the manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. NASH is a major cause of chronic liver disease, in fact the fastest growing liver disease worldwide. However, it is often not diagnosed until at an advanced stage of the disease and there is an urgent need for a pharmacological treatment for patients with NASH. It is clear that NASH requires a holistic approach and that is why the PanNASH initiative was launched with a group of international experts. The year 2020 confirmed that Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) and specifically a PanPPAR approach combining the three isoforms (PPARα, PPARδ - also called PPARβ - and PPARγ) could play an important role in the management of NASH. We hope to see more advances in the field in 2021. In addition, we are proud to announce that our group will expand in 2021 with representatives from Asia who will share their expertise in our educational project. On behalf of the editors of the PanNASH web site, we wish you a happy 2021 despite the current challenges. We will make the best possible use of this digital media to keep you informed about new data and insights on NASH and the role of PPARs.