What is World Psoriasis Day?
World Psoriasis Day is an annual day specially dedicated to people with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis.
Conceived by patients for patients, World Psoriasis Day is a truly global event that sets out to give an international voice to the 125 million people with psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis around the world. Formed by a global consortium of patient associations from around the world,World Psoriasis Day aims to raise the profile of a condition which needs to be taken more seriously by national and international authorities.

 Aims of World Psoriasis Day
• Raising awareness: to let people with psoriasis know that they are not alone and to raise the profile of this devastating skin disease and themisery it can cause. To dispel myths about the condition, such as themistaken view that psoriasis is contagious.

• Improving access to treatment: to encourage healthcare systems,governments, physicians, carers and all those responsible for psoriasiscare to allow psoriasis sufferers access to optimum therapy. For too long, psoriasis/psoriatic arthritis has been low priority.
They are debilitating diseases and must move up the healthcare agenda.

• Increasing understanding: to provide information to those who are affected by the condition as well as the general public in order to educatepeople about the condition so that they can discuss it more openly and confidently.

• Building unity among the psoriasis community: to provide a platform from which patient voices from around the world can speak as one and be heard by key decision makers.

When was World Psoriasis Day founded?
For a number of years various patient groups discussed the idea of having an annual day specially dedicated to people with psoriasis. In 2004 members and non-members of psoriasis associations around the world launched World Psoriasis Day to raise awareness of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Who runs World Psoriasis Day?
The event is presented by the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA), an international organization whose membership is made up of psoriasis organizations from countries around the world. IFPA members meet regularly to collaborate and to discuss important issues affecting the world's psoriasis community. Merck Serono and Wyeth are sponsors 2008.