Psoriatic Disease To Take Center Stage at the UN General Assembly: IFPA Calls for Greater Recognition of Psoriatic Disease During UN High-Level Meetings
STOCKHOLM, Sept. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA) spotlights psoriatic disease at the upcoming UNGA 80 in New York, where world leaders are expected to adopt a new Political Declaration on noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), mental health and well-being.
Key Highlights:
- An estimated 60 million people worldwide are affected by psoriatic disease - a serious, lifelong noncommunicable disease that impacts the skin, joints, and other organs. Psoriasis also increases risks for diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and depression.
- Despite a 2014 World Health Organization (WHO) resolution recognizing psoriasis as a major public health concern, progress has been slow, prompting IFPA (International Federation of Psoriasis Associations) to call for renewed global commitment.
- IFPA representatives are traveling to the UN High-Level Meeting on NCDs to advocate for the inclusion of people with psoriatic disease in global and national health policies, with a special focus on putting lived experience at the heart of policymaking.
Read more about this event and register: https://pages.devex.com/devex-at-unga-80
Psoriatic disease is a lifelong, systemic inflammatory condition, often coexisting with other NCDs, such as diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular diseases and depression. An estimated 60 million people live with the disease. Despite the numbers, psoriatic disease has been overlooked in the health systems worldwide.
The first and only resolution on psoriasis was adopted by WHO in 2014, recognizing it as a major public health concern. Since then, the progress has been poor. IFPA is calling for a greater global commitment to ensure that the needs of people with psoriatic disease are integrated into global and national health policies.
To amplify this call, IFPA representatives are traveling to New York to participate in the upcoming United Nations High-Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) - at UN Headquarters on September 25. This event brings together health leaders, experts, and policymakers to shape the future of NCD prevention and care. IFPA is seizing this opportunity to advocate for more inclusive policies, improved access to care, and greater recognition of psoriatic disease within the broader NCD agenda.
As a part of this advocacy initiative, IFPA organizes a high-level conversation in partnership with Devex on the sidelines of UNGA, titled: Psoriatic Disease and NCDs: Putting Lived Experience at the Heart of Policy. The event takes place at the Devex NCD Pavilion in New York on September, 22.
More details about this advocacy event and registration: https://pages.devex.com/devex-at-unga-80
The session will feature Frida Dunger, Executive Director of IFPA, and Kate Reynolds, IFPA ambassador, living with psoriatic disease. The speakers will share powerful perspectives on why lived experience must move to the center of global health policymaking.
"People living with psoriatic disease are more than our illness, we are whole people, and we need to live our best lives, just like anybody else. I am traveling to New York to speak up about psoriasis at this event because, in my opinion, there should be no decisions about us without us, - shares Kate Reynolds, IFPA Ambassador.
"Inclusive health policy is not optional, it is essential for ensuring that over 60 million people across the globe, living with psoriatic disease, are no longer left behind, says Frida Dunger, Executive Director of IFPA.
About IFPA
IFPA (the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations), founded in 1971 and based in Stockholm, Sweden, is the global organization dedicated to advocating for everyone affected by psoriatic disease. IFPA's members include national and regional patient associations and represent over 60 million people worldwide. Through global coalitions, World Psoriasis Day campaigns, the IFPA Forum, and the World Psoriasis & Psoriatic Arthritis Conference, IFPA is redefining psoriatic disease as a key lens for stronger, more inclusive health systems. Learn more: https://www.ifpa-pso.com/
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