Almirall, a global pharmaceutical company dedicated to medical dermatology is participating in the Global Health Summit, coinciding with the 77th World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, to raise awareness of the mental health burden of skin diseases. This gathering of healthcare specialists addresses some of the most pressing global health challenges.
The severity of skin conditions is often underestimated because they are frequently classified as non-life threatening. However, these diseases often have a significant impact on the lives of patients and their families. Almirall is committed to raising awareness about the mental health burden associated with chronic skin diseases, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and social isolation. The pharmaceutical company goes beyond addressing the physical burden of skin diseases taking into account the non-physical symptoms that can significantly affect patients’ lives. “We strive to understand our patients and find real and impactful solutions for them,” said Volker Koscielny, Almirall’s Chief Medical Officer. “Our leadership is firmly rooted in recognizing that medical dermatology is much more than physical outcomes, and understanding the mental impact of skin diseases is absolutely crucial. We ask ourselves: can we give patients with skin diseases their lives back through effective treatments?”
Almirall’s promise to patients and healthcare professionals is to develop innovative solutions that allow them to lead a normal life and overcome daily obstacles. Mercedes Diz, Almirall’s Chief Marketing Officer, highlighted: “Our job is to bring effective medicines to patients to allow them to live as fulfilled a life as they possibly can. That’s why we put so much effort into finding innovative medicines designed to address skin conditions that can really make a difference to people, including their emotional wellbeing and social life.”
Leading the field in addressing the wellbeing of people with skin diseases
Almirall is at the forefront of research that evaluates both physical and psychological impact of skin diseases. The POSITIVE study, initiated in 2021, is the first clinical study in dermatology to assess patients’ wellbeing as a primary endpoint, using the WHO-5 well-being index. This study aims to determine whether treatments like the biologic tildrakizumab can significantly improve patients’ psychological and social health alongside skin clearance.
Additionally, Almirall’s PROSES study for sarecycline evaluates the impact of acne treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) outcomes, including anxiety, social activities, and self-perception. The PROAK study assesses patient-reported outcomes for those suffering from Actinic Keratosis, a common condition that could evolve to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). This multi-centre trial used an innovative new health-related patient-reported outcome questionnaire, the AK-EPQ, to capture the disease-specific perspectives not fully reflected in existing questionnaires.
Launching the Almirall documentary “Skin- beyond the surface”
Almirall commitment to raising awareness on skin diseases and innovative work in dermatology is featured in a documentary distributed through Reuters as part of the Global Health Summit activities.
The video focuses on the experiences and challenges faced by patients with dermatological conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. It highlights the severe impact these conditions have on patients’ mental health, self-esteem, and daily life. The documentary also features perspectives from healthcare professionals and industry leaders at Almirall. The experts emphasize the importance of addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of these conditions, and the company’s commitment to developing treatments that improve overall wellbeing.
“The mental load is a massive part of the condition, there’s all of these layers, and I think it’s so important we keep talking about all facets of this condition that affect people differently,” declared Linzi Dunlevy, IFPA ambassador and living with psoriasis.
“Wellbeing in medicine is so fundamental because this is the primary goal we should have in treatment. As physicians, as nurses and other healthcare professionals, we have the function to increase the level of health of everybody who comes to us. And health means, by definition of WHO, not the mere absence of disease, but a status of complete physical, emotional and social wellbeing”, stated in the documentary Prof. Dr. Matthias Augustin, MD, PhD, Professor of Dermatology and Chair of Health Economics, University Medical Center of Hamburg.
Almirall is committed to raising awareness about the mental health burden associated with chronic skin diseases, which can lead to anxiety, depression, and social isolation.
The company is at the forefront of research that examines both the physical and psychological impact of skin diseases, conducting first-of-a-kind clinical studies like POSITIVE, PROSES, and PROAK
The documentary “Skin- beyond the surface”, presented by Almirall at the Global Health Summit, focuses on the experiences and challenges faced by patients with dermatological conditions such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis.
