Family Screening Finds Celiac in One in Eight Relatives; Tays Doctor Named Researcher of the Year

A report in Tamperelainen said systematic family screening found celiac disease in around 12 percent of relatives of people with the condition. That is about one in eight. Saana Paavola, an internal medicine specialist at Tays, received the Celiac Association's Researcher of the Year 2026 award at the Gluten‑Free Life fair in Tampere on Saturday.

Her 2023 doctoral thesis focused on screening family members of diagnosed patients and showed a notably high prevalence of celiac among close relatives. The biggest risk is among first‑degree relatives, though it was somewhat elevated for second‑degree and more distant relatives as well. Other risk groups include people with autoimmune diseases and those with Down syndrome. Current Care Guidelines recommend screening first‑degree relatives every ten years, with more frequent testing for children. Paavola warns that a single test does not rule out future disease, because celiac can develop at any age.

Nearly 40 percent of people with celiac were undiagnosed before the family screening. Paavola urged healthcare providers to pay closer attention to family risk and to offer antibody testing beyond just first‑degree relatives. She accepted the award gratefully and praised collaboration with patient organisations. She will present a public webinar on family risk and screening on Thursday 3 December from 6–7 pm; registration is available online.