NATIONAL ECZEMA ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES ECZEMA AWARENESS MONTH WITH CAPITOL HILL POLICY SUMMIT, PUBLIC EDUCATION, AND COMMUNITY EVENTS

NOVATO, Calif., Oct. 8, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Eczema Association (NEA) kicks off Eczema Awareness Month (EAM) this month with a mix of public education, community support, and national advocacy events, including its first-ever in-person Eczema Policy Summit and Congressional Briefing in Washington, D.C.

The 2025 campaign, themed #UnhideEczema, aims to raise national awareness of the impact of eczema, reduce stigma, and advocate for better care for the 31 million Americans—1 in 10—living with this chronic inflammatory skin disease.^1-3

This multifaceted effort highlights the visible and invisible struggles of people living with eczema, challenges common misconceptions, and shares insights into the real-life impact of all forms of eczema. Eczema refers to a group of non-contagious inflammatory skin conditions that cause dry skin, severe itch, rashes, scaly patches, blisters, pain, and skin infections.

Beyond its visible symptoms, eczema can lead to poor sleep, mental health impacts such as anxiety and depression, social isolation, and significant strain on individuals and families. It is also closely linked to other health conditions, including asthma, allergies, and hay fever.

View a comprehensive summary of eczema statistics here. 

Eczema Awareness Month: Engage with NEA
The first half of Eczema Awareness Month (October 1-14) focuses on what eczema looks like across all skin tones, explores the impacts on those living with it, and asks people to "unhide" their eczema by sharing their stories and showing their flares. The second half of the month (October 15-31) focuses on ways to take control of eczema, including management techniques, treatment options, and NEA resources such as the Seal of Acceptance™ and EczemaWise. 

The eczema community and general public can engage with NEA in a variety of ways during this year's Eczema Awareness Month:

• Visit the EAM site and NEA's social media channels (@NationalEczema on Instagram, Facebook, and X) for resources and engagement opportunities.
  
  
• Attend free educational webinars:
  • "More Choices, Better Control," presented by Dr. Zelma Chiesa Fuxench, an Associate Professor of Dermatology and Vice-Chair for Clinical Research with the Department of Dermatology at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, and Dr. JiaDe "Jeff" Yu, a dual board-certified dermatologist and pediatric dermatologist and Chair of Dermatology at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA. This webinar is offered on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, 5 pm PT/7 pm CT/8 pm ET.
    
    
  • "How to Choose a Health Insurance Plan When You Have Eczema," presented by Michele Guadelupe, MPH, NEA's Director of Advocacy and Access. This webinar is offered on Thursday, October 30, 2025, 5 pm PT/7 pm CT/8 pm ET.
    
    
• Access Eczema Story Videos from the NEA Community.
  
  
• View the Eczema Visual guide for a comprehensive and inclusive look at eczema, which can vary greatly in appearance due to the type of eczema, skin tone, level of severity, and affected part of the body.

Eczema Policy Summit with Congressional Briefing 
The centerpiece of NEA's Eczema Awareness Month is its first in-person Eczema Policy Summit and Congressional Briefing, held October 19–21 in Washington, D.C.* NEA will bring together eight NEA Advocacy Ambassadors from across the country, along with organizational leaders, to meet with members of Congress and advocate for federal policy priorities that improve care for eczema patients.

The Congressional Briefing, titled "Tackling Step Therapy, Treatment Delays, and Research Funding," takes place Tuesday, October 21, from 12:00–1:00 p.m. Speakers include Kristin Belleson, NEA President & CEO; Wendy Smith Begolka, NEA Chief Program and Mission Officer; and Leigh Antoinette Medina, eczema patient and NEA Advocacy Ambassador from Hawaii.

The briefing will focus on the release of new and updated data acquired through recent NEA surveys, which reinforce an established need for legislative and regulatory solutions, including advancing federal policies that:

• Reform step therapy—when an insurer requires patients to try and fail one or more insurer-preferred treatments before the insurer will cover the treatment initially prescribed by the provider—and prior authorization burdens.
  
  
• Ensure access to effective prescription treatments.
  
  
• Increase federal research funding to advance better therapies and improve long-term outcomes.

The cutting-edge research findings that will be revealed expand insights gained from NEA's 2021 survey of eczema patients, which found that nearly 30% of prescription coverage denials are due to step therapy requirements, and over 50% of delays are caused by prior authorization.

Since then, the eczema treatment landscape has continued to significantly grow and evolve, while the burden of treatment access barriers is widespread and growing as well.

"Eczema Awareness Month gives the National Eczema Association a national platform to elevate the voices of millions of patients and families living with this challenging disease," said Kristin Belleson, NEA President & CEO. "Through education, community, and advocacy, we're working to reduce stigma, improve care, and influence policy that ensures better outcomes for everyone affected by eczema."

Special thanks to the following Eczema Awareness Month sponsors: AbbVie, Codex Labs Corp, LEO Pharma, Eli Lilly and Company, Organon, Sanofi and Regeneron, Incyte, Aestura, all® free clear, Hypothesis, and Mustela.

*All scheduled Eczema Policy Summit events are subject to change based on the status of the federal government.

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. We are driving toward the ultimate vision: a world without eczema. Learn more at NationalEczema.org.

References

1. Shaw TE, Currie GP, Koudelka CW, Simpson EL. Eczema prevalence in the United States: data from the 2003 National Survey of Children's Health. J Invest Dermatol. 2011;131(1):67-73.

2. Hanifin JM, Reed ML, Eczema Prevalence and Impact Working Group. A population-based survey of eczema prevalence in the United States. Dermatitis. 2007;18(2):82-91.

3. Abuabara K, Magyari A, McCulloch CE, Linos E, Margolis DJ, Langan SM. Prevalence of Atopic Eczema Among Patients Seen in Primary Care: Data From The Health Improvement Network. Ann Intern Med. 2019;170(5):354-356.

SOURCE National Eczema Association