AbbVie launches hidradenitis suppurativa education campaign

AbbVie has launched a global disease education campaign on hidradenitis suppurativa called “What’s Your Sore Spot?”

The campaign was begun during hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) Awareness Week, June 6-12, with the WhatsYourSoreSpot.com, which includes country-specific websites and resources about HS, according to a press release. The site was developed by HS advocates around the world.

HS impacts 1% to 4% of adults worldwide, has an average onset at 21 years of age, and is marked by symptoms including recurrent and painful abscesses or nodules on the skin, including in the areas of the armpits, groin, buttocks and breast. The disease can be difficult to diagnose, with median delays of diagnosis of up to 12 years reported. There disease has been misdiagnosed as common boils, according to the release.

“Despite being a serious and painful chronic condition, HS is a relatively unknown and not well understood disease, which contributes to delays in patients receiving an accurate diagnosis,” Dominik Hochli, vice president, global medical affairs at AbbVie, stated in the release. “The What’s Your Sore Spot? campaign demonstrates AbbVie’s commitment to work with patients, advocates and health care professionals to increase awareness about this debilitating disease and facilitate open dialogue during all phases of the patient journey.”

Information on the site includes a printable discussion guide that patients can use to help facilitate a conversation with a dermatologist, according to the release.

Reference: www.abbvie.com