AbbVie launches hidradenitis suppurativa global awareness campaign

AbbVie has launched a new global campaign to increase awareness and support for people who have hidradenitis suppurativa.

The launch of “Voices of HS” is taking place Oct. 7-11 at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology congress in Copenhagen and will include a panel event featuring an advocacy representative, a dermatologist and patients discussing the impact and management of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), documentary style videos of patients with HS and educational resources, according to a press release. The FDA approved AbbVie’s Humira (adalimumab) for treating adults with moderate to severe HS in September.

HS is estimated to impact 1% of the worldwide adult population, according to the release. Many patients live in isolation and embarrassment, according to the release, and “face significant challenges in their daily lives, work ability, physical activities and emotional state.”

“Many of my patients with hidradenitis suppurativa suffer for years in silence and pain before receiving an accurate diagnosis and appropriate care,” Dierdre Nathalie Dufour, MD, a specialist in dermatology and venereology, Hudkinikken Kalundborg, Denmark, said in the release. “Voices of HS is supporting the HS community by bringing an increased level of education around HS to increase awareness with patients and their physicians.”

More information about Voices of HS are available on its website, according to the release.

Patients with HS and the dermatology community also are encouraged to raise awareness on Oct. 10 through the Voices of HS Thunderclap, a platform that allows people to pledge a Tweet or Facebook message that will be released at the same time, according to the release.

Reference: www.abbvie.com