WHO Global Report on Psoriasis

In 2014, World Health Organization (WHO) member states adopted Resolution WHA 67.9. This Resolution officially recognized psoriasis as a serious noncommunicable disease.

To follow up on the Resolution, the WHO published a Global Report on Psoriasis in early 2016. Several IFPA staff, Board members and representatives from our member associations contributed extensively to the Report.

The Global Report explores the challenges of psoriatic disease in depth:

• It investigates how many people in the world have the disease, and shows that much more data is needed;

• It illustrates the burden of psoriatic disease – from physical symptoms to psychological, emotional, mental and socioeconomic consequences;

• It shows how we can improve quality of care, including by focusing on individual patients’ needs and understanding the triggers
• It highlights that a lot of the suffering caused by psoriatic disease can be avoided, if people with the disease are given the right support by society;
• It provides a list of practical recommendations, to empower policy-makers, health professionals, patient organizations and civil society to take action;
• Recommendations include providing an early, correct diagnosis, making quality healthcare and treatment universally accessible, and working to counter the exclusion and stigma faced by many people with psoriatic disease.