Footnotes

• We have no other competing financial interests.

• Competing interest statement: Commercial interests of any company producing or selling pancreatin preparations may be affected by the conclusions of this review. In the past five years both authors have received financial support for research, educational and scientific consulting activities from various pharmaceutical companies producing and selling enzyme preparations including Solvay Pharmaceuticals, Hannover, who sponsored this review by educational grant. None of the authors has been employed by an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the conclusions of our review. None of the authors holds any stocks or shares in an organisation that may in any way gain or lose financially from the conclusions of our review. Both authors have given medical opinion statements on the subject of our review—that is, pancreatic exocrine insufficiency.