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Unmet Needs in Psoriasis
The concept of unmet needs in psoriasis is not new. We are aware that both patients and physicians feel there are gaps in the management and...
As dermatologists we are all aware of the serious nature of psoriasis and its impact on the quality of life of patients. In the last decade we have more clearly recognized the comorbidities of the condition, including increased risk for cardiovascular disease and malignancy. However, there are many people, within and outside the medical community, who are not aware of the potentially serious nature of this disease.
Hopefully the tide is turning. According to News Medical, at the recent 67th World Health Assembly, the World Health Organization member states adopted a resolution on psoriasis, recognizing it as “a chronic, non-communicable, painful, disfiguring, and disabling disease for which there is no cure.” This resolution also acknowledged the psychosocial burden of the disease as well as the fact that many people with psoriasis suffer due to lack of awareness and access to sufficient treatment.
On this occasion, Wolfram Sterry, MD, president of the International League of Dermatological Societies, commented with the following:
“As a dermatologist I have seen first-hand how deeply psoriasis affects people in their daily lives, as have the many members of our worldwide organization. Together with the psoriasis patient associations, we have been able to educate policy makers on the impact this disease has and what can be done to ease its burden. This resolution gives us a platform from which we can engage even further with policy makers to help improve access to the treatment and care that people with psoriasis need and deserve.”
For many years, dermatologic societies and the National Psoriasis Foundation have been active in raising awareness about the impact of psoriasis, but it is gratifying to see a more global body take steps to increase public awareness of the disease.
What’s the issue?
Awareness of psoriasis is not at the level where it should be, which is especially true among the patients with the disease who often do not know where to find care and are unaware of the treatment options available in 2014. This acknowledgment by the World Health Organization is a nice step in the right direction. What will you do to increase awareness in your community?
