Patient advocacy groups help manage psoriasis

The National Psoriasis Foundation, a nonprofit patient organization, meets specific, unmet educational needs of health professionals by providing the latest information on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The Foundation's comprehensive Web site, www.psoriasis.org, includes a searchable Physician Directory to identify physicians who treat psoriasis.

Printed materials for physicians include the Psoriasis Forum journal, edited by Alice Gottlieb, M.D., Ph.D., John Y.M. Koo, M.D. and Mark Lebwohl, M.D., is dedicated to providing up-to-date information to physicians on the front line of psoriasis treatment. The second edition of the clinical manual, Therapy of Moderate to Severe Psoriasis, edited by Gerald D. Weinstein, M.D. and Dr. Gottlieb, has been printed. The Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Pocket Guide: Treatment Algorithms and Management Options, authored by Steven R. Feldman, M.D., Ph.D., Dr. Koo, Alan Menter, M.D., Abby Van Voorhees, M.D. and Dr. Lebwohl provides algorithms to help practitioners employ combination therapies and under-used systemic treatments. The Foundation also developed an insurance monograph to educate third party payers about these diseases.