Role of gut microbiome in pathogenesis and treatment of diseases: Multidisciplinary experts’ opinion of the Asian Medical Experts Academy (AMEA)

Emerging evidence suggests the role of the gut microbiome in the health and diseases of multiple organs and systems. In the past decade, an increasing trend in the use of microbiome-based therapeutics (e.g., probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics) has been observed in Asia and globally. However, local and global clinical guidelines on the use of microbiome-based therapeutics are limited. A multidisciplinary working group has been established to foster communication between experts from diverse medical specialties on the clinical application of microbiome-based therapeutics. Through conducting an extensive review on current evidence on the importance of the gut microbiome and the potential use of microbiome-based therapeutics in health and diseases, the experts’ working group identified the unmet needs related to the use of microbiome-based therapeutics in the clinical settings in Asia and global contexts. Thirteen position statements were developed, including eight statements focusing on the role of the gut microbiome in health and disease pathogenesis, as well as six statements focusing on the potential clinical applications. A list of potential indications for microbiome-based therapeutics was also proposed based on current evidence and clinical experience. This paper is intended to serve as a reference that assists healthcare professionals in improving care for patients using microbiome-based therapeutics in Asia and globally.