Why Outcome Measures In Dermatology Are Becoming Patient Centric

Purpose of Review: Many “validated” treatment outcome assessments in clinical trials fail to include outcomes important to patients. This review will focus on recent efforts to revise and make patient-centric clinical trial outcomes used in psoriasis, acne vulgaris, atopic dermatitis, and hidradenitis suppurativa. Recent Findings: Over recent years, international coalitions have been formed to revise the investigator-oriented “validated” measures (e.g., PASI, IGA) in order to incorporate outcomes important to patients These not only include quality of life (QoL) assessments but also the anatomic location, physical discomfort, and appearance. This review discusses work underway to include patients in formatting revised outcome assessments. Summary: Historically, outcome measures have been developed by clinicians and pharmaceutical companies for use in clinical trials. Nonetheless, a movement is underway supported by regulatory agencies, government officials, and patient advocacy groups to include patients in the process of redesigning clinical trial outcome measures

Perceptions Of Tanning Risk Among Melanoma Patients With A History Of Indoor Tanning

A new US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulation classified tanning beds as class II, requiring indoor tanning facilities to inform users of the risk of skin cancer in efforts to reverse the growing trend in indoor tanning. However, little is known from the patient\u27s perspective on whether knowledge of the risk of skin cancer development is a deterrent to indoor tanning. There also is conflicting literature regarding the relationship among frequency of indoor tanning, age at onset of melanoma diagnosis, and characteristics of diagnosis in melanoma patients with a history of indoor tanning. An international survey was conducted in patients 18 years and older who selfreported being diagnosed with melanoma after indoor tanning. The purpose of this study was to investigate the patients\u27 perspective on indoor-tanning behaviors as associated with the severity of their melanomas and the time frame in which they were diagnosed as well as their perceived views on the safety of indoor tanning and the frequency in which they continue to tan indoors