NEA IS AWARDED COMPETITIVE GRANT FROM PFIZER TO INVESTIGATE THE MEANING OF 'FLARE' IN ECZEMA CARE

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Apr 05, 2022, 10:10 ET

The $175K award will fund the first-ever development of a flare definition from the patient perspective.

NOVATO, Calif., April 5, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Eczema Association (NEA) announces it has been awarded a competitive grant from Pfizer in the amount of $175K to support its novel research study titled "Atopic Dermatitis Flares – An Understanding and Definition from the Patient Perspective." The grant period commenced in January 2022 with a timeline of 18 months.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory conditions affecting over 31 million people in the U.S. and over 55% struggle with inadequately controlled AD, characterized by periods of disease worsening known as flares. While 'flare' is the word most frequently used by patients and healthcare providers to indicate a disease exacerbation, no consistent definition is currently used in clinical trials or patient care, limiting understanding of this important measure of disease management and treatment outcomes in research and real-world settings.

With Pfizer's grant award, NEA will conduct a research study to identify what constitutes a 'flare' from the patient perspective. Wendy Smith Begolka, MBS, Senior Vice President of Scientific and Clinical affairs at NEA, is the principal investigator on the study. Results of the study will identify similarities and differences in patient descriptions of an AD flare and lead to a consensus-based, patient-centered definition that can support patient and healthcare provider dialogue on managing this key aspect of long-term disease control.

"The onset and anticipation of AD flares contribute to considerable patient anxiety and negative emotional sentiment," said Smith Begolka. "And yet we don't have an agreed-upon, clinical definition of flare. In fact, there seems to be a number of definitions for flare that aren't necessarily based on the patient experience."

For the study, NEA will engage its diverse adult patient audience to participate in a series of focus groups and surveys. The anticipated results from the study will provide a comprehensive understanding of what an AD flare means from the patient perspective and provide direction to advance eczema research and care and evaluate treatment effectiveness. At the conclusion of the study, NEA will develop and publish manuscripts of the findings in peer-reviewed journals for wide dissemination.

About the National Eczema Association
Founded in 1988, the National Eczema Association (NEA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the largest patient advocacy organization serving the over 31 million Americans who live with eczema and those who care for them. NEA provides programs and resources to elevate the diverse lived experience of eczema, and help patients and caregivers understand their disease, actively engage in their care, find strength in one another – and improve their lives. Additionally, NEA advances critical eczema research and partners with key stakeholders to ensure the patient voice is represented and valued in education, care and treatment decision-making. The eczema community is at an exciting juncture, with increased recognition of the seriousness and burden of eczema and a surge in scientific interest and development of new treatments. Bolstered by NEA's strategic plan, Blueprint 2025, we are driving toward the ultimate vision: a world without eczema. Learn more at NationalEczema.org.

SOURCE National Eczema Association