A global IFPA initiative to uncover and overcome the barriers that prevent diverse communities from participating in psoriasis research and care. We invite both people living with psoriatic disease and healthcare professionals to take part in this project.
By joining, you can share your experiences, insights, or challenges related to participation in clinical research. Your voice will help us uncover what truly stands in the way and shape a more inclusive future for everyone affected by psoriatic disease.
About the Project
Diversity matters in psoriatic disease research. Yet too many communities remain underrepresented in clinical trials, limiting understanding, slowing innovation, and leaving people without equal access to effective care.
Breaking Barriers is IFPA’s new global project that explores why participation gaps persist, and how we can close them. Through collaboration among people living with psoriatic disease, researchers, and healthcare professionals, we aim to identify the social, cultural, and structural barriers that prevent inclusion in clinical research and to help remove them.
The Challenge
Psoriatic disease affects people of all backgrounds, but clinical research doesn’t always reflect this diversity. Factors such as ethnicity, geography, age, socioeconomic conditions, and comorbidities all shape how psoriatic disease manifests and how care is experienced.
External stigma, discrimination, and limited representation of minority groups in clinical trials deepen these inequalities. When people feel excluded or underrepresented in research, treatments risk being less effective for everyone.
Our Goals
Breaking Barriers seeks to:
● Reduce stigma as a barrier to participation in clinical research
● Strengthen understanding of diversity within psoriatic disease
● Empower people living with psoriatic disease to take part in research
● Support healthcare professionals in promoting inclusive research practices
● Build equitable pathways to care and treatment access globally
What the Project Involves
Throughout 2026, IFPA will work with people living with psoriatic disease, dermatologists, researchers and advocacy organizations worldwide to:
● Develop accessible educational materials about clinical research and inclusion;
● Publish articles, fact sheets and infographics addressing stigma and equity in clinical trials;
● Interviews with people living with psoriatic disease and healthcare professionals to gather lived experience data;
● Host webinars and awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of diversity in research
● Support IFPA members in adapting materials to their national and cultural contexts
This project builds on IFPA’s earlier initiative, All the Colors We Are, which celebrated diversity in psoriasis representation. Breaking Barriers takes the next step, from visibility to active inclusion in research and care.
Get Involved
For questions or collaboration opportunities, contact info@ifpa-pso.com.