Tim Smith joined the MJH Life Sciences team as an assistant editor for HCPLive in August 2022. He graduated from UC Berkeley with a degree in political science, working in multimedia journalism as a staff writer prior to joining MJH. In his spare time, he enjoys reading, watching TV, listening to podcasts, and rock climbing. You can contact him at 

In 2021, ruxolitinib cream became the first Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor approved by the 

 in dermatology, marking the introduction of a new class of targeted, non-steroidal immunomodulators for inflammatory skin disease.

In succeeding years, JAK inhibitors began to see an explosion in approvals, becoming known as central players in the management of conditions such as 

. Data supporting their use grew dramatically, with many seeing JAK inhibitors as representing the future of disease management.

However, clinicians and patients alike were soon faced with black box warnings on JAK inhibitors, largely resulting from research into safety concerns such as major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

 However, clinicians are increasingly contextualizing such safety warnings in light of real-world dermatologic data and an evolving understanding of these drugs’ use among patients of different age cohorts.

“We need to all have respect for black box warnings,” Shawn Kwatra, MD, chair of dermatology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said in an interview with 

 spoke with several experts in the space to provide commentary on the evolution of JAK inhibitor perceptions in dermatology, from the initial excitement surrounding JAK inhibitors, the subsequent caution due to black box warnings, and the recent confidence expressed in recent months, grounded in real-world data.

Early Adoption of JAK Inhibition in Dermatology

“They’ve raised the bar—they’re showing us what rapid and meaningful change looks like, not just getting you a little bit better, but restoring lives,” Kwatra explained.

JAK inhibitors, sometimes referred to as JAKis, are small-molecule drugs designed to target the intracellular signaling pathways linking cytokines to inflammatory gene expression. They act on members of the JAK family: JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, and tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2).

JAKis can help to disrupt multiple pro-inflammatory signals simultaneously among patients with diseases such as alopecia areata, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis, thereby dampening immune activity. These medications are engineered for selectivity, to balance efficacy with safety. JAK inhibitors differ from biologics in both mechanism and speed, serving effectively as “conductors” to help rebalance multiple cytokine pathways, as opposed to single targets.

Several JAKi have been approved across a spectrum of cutaneous and nondermatologic diseases in adults. Ruxolitinib was the first JAKi to earn FDA approval in November 2011 for adults with graft-versus-host disease. One year later, tofacitinib was approved for rheumatoid arthritis. Both drugs were later found to inhibit the pathways driving atopy, plaque psoriasis, alopecia areata, and vitiligo.

Other JAKi, including baricitinib, upadacitinib, abrocitinib, and deucravacitinib, have subsequently gained approval in the US for patients over the age of 18 years. Following the approval of ruxolitinib, JAK inhibitors expanded across multiple indications, and both topical and oral formulations now play roles in atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, and vitiligo. Kwatra highlighted the expansion of JAK inhibitors across multiple dermatologic conditions, noting the expanded use of these treatments alongside the increasing amount of data on their use.

In atopic dermatitis, JAKis have allowed for meaningful relief for patients who do not respond to biologics. Among those with alopecia areata, JAK inhibitors have opened what Kwatra referred to as “the first real pathway we’ve ever had to regrow hair.” In the vitiligo space, topical ruxolitinib and emerging oral formulations have begun producing visible repigmentation in patients. Even for those suffering from hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), an area of focus in Kwatra’s Baltimore clinic, off-label utilization of JAKs led to substantial results.

Ruxolitinib was approved for mild-to-moderate atopic dermatitis for patients 12 years and older, and upadacitinib and abrocitinib received similar approvals. Baricitinib and ritlecitinib and deuruxolitinib were approved alopecia areata. In short, the armamentarium for inflammatory diseases expanded dramatically thanks to this new treatment class.

“Clinicians now have real-world patients whose lives have been changed. Patients themselves have become the strongest advocates—they’ll tell you, ‘I can finally sleep, I can finally feel like myself again,’” Kwatra expressed.

Evolving Concerns Over Black Box Warnings

Despite the rapid expansion of research on JAKi use in dermatology and other fields, as well as a growing number of studies into their efficacy, 1 study in February 2021 dealt a major blow to JAK progress across medical fields.

At this point, preliminary safety results were released from the ORAL Surveillance trial of tofacitinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

 The analysis had explored comparisons to tofacitinib with TNF inhibitors in older patients ≥50 years living with RA who had at least a single cardiovascular risk factor. Increased rates of cardiovascular events, malignancy, and all-cause mortality in those treated with tofacitinib were highlighted, preceding the FDA decision to formally require black box warnings for tofacitinib, upadacitinib, and baricitinib.

This caution was thereby extended to all oral systemic JAK inhibitors approved for inflammatory diseases. Given the addition of this label, patients treated with such medications were now given an overt warning of risks of MACE, cancer (particularly lymphoma and lung cancer), mortality, and blood clots.

This decision by FDA officials had the effect of shifting the landscape of JAK inhibitor perceptions, with these cardiovascular risk data being extrapolated from a high-risk RA population to much broader groups of patients given the option to use JAKis.

In an additional blow to JAKi perceptions, in November 2022, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) updated its inhibitor recommendations. The agency suggested the treatment should only be prescribed for individuals at high risk if there are no suitable alternatives available.

In the years since the black box warnings’ announcement, however, dermatologists sought to contextualize concerns; the data leading to this decision was collected on an older cohort of patients ≥50 years with at least 1 cardiovascular risk factor at the outset.

The need for long-term safety data on JAK inhibitors to address patients' justifiable concerns became apparent. Researchers began to explore cardiovascular safety in JAK inhibitors rapidly, seeking to expand upon these ORAL Surveillance trial data and improve patient understanding of the context of the FDA’s black box warnings.

In 1 systematic review of 43 studies on JAKi safety in those living with inflammatory skin diseases, real-world data demonstrated low incidence rates of serious adverse events.

 These events included MACE, thromboembolism, and malignancies.

New studies began to help contextualize the previous cardiovascular safety findings on JAKs. In another notable example, Christopher G. Bunick, MD, PhD, associate professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, spoke with 

 These data, presented at the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology (EADV) 2025 Congress, highlighted upadacitinib’s safety in a US atopic dermatitis population.

“These medicines are incredibly safe with very low rates of MACE, VTE, and malignancy,” Bunick noted, highlighting large-scale trial data in the Measure Up 1, Measure Up 2, and AD Up, studies on upadacitinib. Bunick et al noted the significantly low incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), MACE, and malignancy, even among participants with existing cardiovascular comorbidities.

Study populations included those with diabetes, hypertension, smoking history, and oral contraceptive use, each known to potentially be factors otherwise elevating patients’ risk. Yet these findings demonstrated treatment with upadacitinib did not increase cardiovascular events, reinforcing this JAK inhibitor’s favorable benefit–risk balance.

Bunick’s interpretation aligned with a growing consensus suggesting the early safety concerns surrounding JAKi use, largely derived from studies in older, high-risk individuals with RA, did not represent the whole picture. While often discussed as a single class, JAKis can differ significantly in their selectivity for JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, or TYK2. This type of selectivity can drive much of the observed differences in safety findings.

Additional data on treatments such as deucravacitinib for psoriasis, falling within the JAK family, have come to light. These findings have helped to expand dermatologists’ broader understanding of JAKs’ place in the lineup of treatment options for patients with inflammatory disease.

Milaan Shah, MD, a dermatology resident at the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, took part in the Delphi-method expert consensus panel providing guidance to clinicians on deucravacitinib.

 Shah spoke with HCPLive about this panel and its review of deucravacitinib’s efficacy and adverse-event evidence, resulting in practical guidance for dermatologists.

Deucravacitinib, though technically a JAK-family agent targeting TYK2, demonstrated a strong safety profile, owing to its allosteric mechanism and extreme selectivity. The findings of this panel help to demonstrate the ways in which mechanistic refinements within the JAK family have advanced both safety and clinical confidence.

“By definition, deucravacitinib falls under the JAK inhibitor family—but there are so many differences in its safety profile that we made the statement it has a superior safety profile to traditional JAK inhibitors,” Shah said.

Shah’s commentary suggests the evolving JAK landscape has seen greater molecular precision translating into tangible clinical safety. This could potentially serve as a notable counterpoint to the lingering class-wide caution prompted by earlier, less-selective agents.

In 2025, with the emergence of real-world data, clinicians' perception has commonly become one of cautious optimism. Improved understanding of the context behind the boxed warnings is becoming increasingly widespread, and for many dermatologists, it sheds new light on this medication class.

As a growing number of clinicians have come to see the notable efficacy findings resulting from research on JAKi use in dermatology. Evidence on the potential cardioprotective benefits of JAK inhibitors in patients with atopic dermatitis, stemming from the systemic anti-inflammatory properties of the drug class, has also become more widely discussed.

As safety concerns have been increasingly addressed by a growing number of long-term analyses, JAKs have also continued to be approved for dermatologic diseases.

Most recently, ruxolitinib cream was approved by the FDA in September 2025 for children aged 2 - 11 years with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis.

 In the announcement, the drug is indicated for the short-term and non-continuous chronic treatment of mild to moderate atopic dermatitis in non-immunocompromised children ≥ 2 years of age whose condition has not been well controlled with topical drugs, or when such medications are not recommended.

Ruxolitinib cream 1.5% had already been FDA-approved for the short-term, non-continuous treatment of those aged 12 years and older with mild to moderate atopic dermatitis. This expansion of the drug’s indication helps to reinforce the increasing acceptance of JAK pathway modulation in the field, including in younger ages and less-severe disease settings.

“If we look five, ten years ahead and beyond, I think JAK inhibitors will absolutely be part of the permanent landscape of dermatology,” Kwatra explained in his 

 interview. “I don’t see them disappearing. I see them finding their niche. JAK inhibitors have raised the bar; they’ve shown us what rapid and meaningful change looks like. They’re pushing our field toward therapies that aren’t just getting patients a little better, but restoring lives.”

As new clinical data and real-world findings continue to converge in the dermatology space, JAK inhibitors appear primed to remain integral to dermatologic innovation, potentially helping clinicians to bridge the gap between efficacy and safety.

Incyte Announces Additional FDA Approval of Opzelura® (Ruxolitinib) Cream in Children Ages 2-11 with Atopic Dermatitis. Incyte. September 18, 2025. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

https://investor.incyte.com/news-releases/news-release-details/incyte-announces-additional-fda-approval-opzelurar-ruxolitinib

FDA requires warnings about increased risk of serious heart-related events, cancer, blood clots, and death for JAK inhibitors that treat certain chronic inflammatory conditions. FDA. January 14, 2022. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

https://www.fda.gov/drugs/fda-drug-safety-podcasts/fda-requires-warnings-about-increased-risk-serious-heart-related-events-cancer-blood-clots-and-death

The Lancet Gastroenterology Hepatology. New restrictions on JAK inhibitors in the EU. Lancet Gastroenterol Hepatol. 2023 Jan;8(1):1. doi: 10.1016/S2468-1253(22)00397-1. PMID: 36495898.

Bukhari M, Bergman M, Giles JT, et al. Safety of jakinibs: lessons from ORAL Surveillance, Rheumatology, Volume 61, Issue 11, November 2022, Pages 4223–4225, 

https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keac166

Tomelleri A, Benanti G, Dagna L. The impact of 2023 EMA recommendations on patients treated with JAK inhibitors: real-life experience from a prospective monocentric cohort. Rheumatology (Oxford). 2024 Feb 1;63(2):e39-e42. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/kead395. PMID: 37522875; PMCID: PMC10836993.

Smith T. Real-World Findings on Incidence of Adverse Events Highlighted for JAK Inhibitors. HCPLive. October 6, 2025. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/real-world-findings-incidence-adverse-events-highlighted-jak-inhibitors

Bunick C. Cardiovascular Risk and Upadacitinib Treatment for Atopic Dermatitis, With Christopher Bunick, MD, PhD. HCPLive. September 19, 2025. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/cardiovascular-risk-upadacitinib-treatment-atopic-dermatitis-christopher-bunick-md-phd

Bunick C, Ackerman L. Understanding the Safety Profile of Oral JAK Inhibitors in Atopic Dermatitis. HCPLive. July 17, 2025. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/understanding-the-safety-profile-of-oral-jak-inhibitors-in-atopic-dermatitis

Shah M. Efficacy, Safety of Deucravacitinib for Psoriasis, with Milaan Shah, MD. HCPLive. June 13, 2025. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

https://www.hcplive.com/view/efficacy-safety-deucravacitinib-psoriasis-milaan-shah-md

Incytye. Incyte Announces Additional FDA Approval of Opzelura® (Ruxolitinib) Cream in Children Ages 2-11 with Atopic Dermatitis. September 18, 2025. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

Articles

Ruxolitinib cream's 2021 FDA approval marked the entry of JAK inhibitors in dermatology, revolutionizing treatment for conditions like psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. Despite initial excitement, black box warnings due to cardiovascular risks tempered enthusiasm. However, real-world data and expert insights have contextualized these concerns, highlighting JAK inhibitors' safety and efficacy. Recent studies show low adverse event rates, reinforcing confidence in their use. The evolving understanding of JAK inhibitors, including their molecular precision, suggests they will remain integral to dermatologic innovation, balancing efficacy and safety.

JAK inhibitors have transformed the world of treatment for inflammatory disease, and views on their safety and efficacy have also transformed over the years.

Dermatology

The HCPLive dermatology page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on skin disease. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for dermatologic conditions, and more.

Plaque Psoriasis

The HCPLive plaque psoriasis page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on psoriasis. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for psoriatic disease, and more.

News

news page, resources on the topics of disease- and specialty-specific medical news and expert insight can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on health care research, treatment, and drug development.

Clinical

clinical page is a resource for content on every specialty, disease, and topic available on our medical news site.

Rethinking the Black Box: JAK Inhibitors Find Their Place in Dermatology

Abigail Brooks is an assistant managing editor for 

She joined MJH Life Sciences in August 2023 shortly after graduating from Monmouth University where she earned her BA in Communication with a concentration in Public Relations/Journalism and later an MA in Interactive Digital Media. She enjoys traveling, running, and reading books. She can be reached at abrooks@mjhlifesciences.com.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has released a position paper reviewing current performance measures for colorectal cancer screening and surveillance, ultimately supporting 1 of 5 reviewed measures.

 the paper seeks to inform physicians, payers, and policymakers in their selection and use of performance measures and make recommendations for measures that could be developed.

In 2023, the ACP issued updated guidance for colorectal cancer screening for asymptomatic, average-risk adults that suggests starting screening at 50 years of age based on a critical review of existing clinical guidelines and evidence reviews and modeling studies used to develop those guidelines. In the latest position paper on screening and surveillance, while ACP supports performance measurement as a means to improve quality of care, the organization describes its belief that performance measures should only be considered for inclusion in reporting, accountability, or payment programs if they are methodologically sound and have undergone appropriate statistical analyses at the level of attribution for which they are used.

“Several performance measures for screening and surveillance are currently used in pay-for-performance, public reporting, and/or accountability programs,” Amir Qaseem, MD, PhD, MHA, an adjunct Instructor at Thomas Jefferson University and Chief Science Officer and Senior Vice President, Clinical Policy, at the ACP, and colleagues wrote.

 “However, the validity, reliability, quality of evidence, attribution, and meaningfulness of performance measures have been questioned.”

To address this clinical uncertainty, the ACP Performance Measurement Committee (PMC) reviewed 5 measures identified using the following websites:

National Quality Forum, the former consensus-based entity

Partnership for Quality Measurement, the current consensus-based entity

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Measures Inventory Tool

For inclusion, performance measures were required to meet the following criteria: quality performance measures for colorectal cancer AND currently used in the United States in an accountability, public reporting, or payment program, such as the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services’ Merit-based Incentive Payment Program or National Committee for Quality Assurance’s Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set; AND relevant to internal medicine; AND/OR previously reviewed by the PMC; AND/OR endorsed by the consensus-based entity AND NOT solely included in Medicare Part C or Part D AND NOT cost measures.

Investigators identified 5 measures meeting these criteria:

Colorectal Cancer Screening: percentage of patients aged 45–75 years who had appropriate screening for colorectal cancer

Age Appropriate Screening Colonoscopy: Percentage of screening colonoscopies performed in patients aged ≥86 years of age from January to December

Appropriate Follow-Up Interval for Normal Colonoscopy in Average Risk Patients: Percentage of patients aged 45 to 75 years of age receiving a screening colonoscopy without biopsy or polypectomy who had a recommended follow-up interval of ≥10 years for repeated colonoscopy documented in their colonoscopy report

Colonoscopy Interval for Patients with a History of Adenomatous Polyps–Avoidance of Inappropriate Use: Percentage of patients ≥18 years of age receiving a surveillance colonoscopy, with a history of prior adenomatous polyps in previous colonoscopy findings, which had an interval of ≥3 years since their last colonoscopy

Facility 7-Day Risk-Standardized Hospital Visit Rate after Outpatient Colonoscopy: Rate of risk-standardized, all-cause, unplanned hospital visits within 7 days of an outpatient colonoscopy among Medicare fee-for-service patients ≥65 years of age

They sought to determine whether these measures are evidence-based, methodologically sound, and clinically meaningful within 5 domains: importance, appropriate care, clinical evidence base, measure specifications, and feasibility/applicability.

Of the 5 performance measures assessed, the ACP PMC found only 1 performance measure, Facility 7-Day Risk-Standardized Hospital Visit Rate after Outpatient Colonoscopy, valid for use. The other 4 measures did not meet ACP’s standards for appropriate use, high-quality evidence, and scientific acceptability, with some measures not aligned with current evidence. The ACP also notes improvements needed for the performance measure specifications.

“The ACP encourages measure developers to refine and test these performance measures that aim to improve health outcomes for patients,” investigators concluded.

Qaseem A, Miller NL, Khetan RS, et al. Quality Indicators for Screening and Surveillance of Colorectal Cancer in Adults: A Review of Performance Measures by the American College of Physicians. Annals of Internal Medicine. 

ACP. ACP issues updated guidance for colorectal cancer screening of asymptomatic adults. August 1, 2023. 

https://www.acponline.org/acp-newsroom/acp-issues-updated-guidance-for-colorectal-cancer-screening-of-asymptomatic-adults

The American College of Physicians (ACP) has evaluated current performance measures for colorectal cancer screening and surveillance, endorsing only one out of five measures reviewed. The ACP emphasizes that performance measures should be methodologically sound and statistically analyzed before inclusion in reporting or payment programs. The ACP Performance Measurement Committee assessed five measures, finding only the "Facility 7-Day Risk-Standardized Hospital Visit Rate after Outpatient Colonoscopy" valid. The ACP calls for refinement and testing of these measures to enhance patient health outcomes.

The ACP Performance Measurement Committee reviewed 5 performance measures for CRC screening, ultimately only supporting 1 of them.

Gastroenterology

Gastroenterology condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on digestive and GI conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for 

, IBS and IBD, Crohn's disease, and more.

ACP Releases Position Paper on Colorectal Cancer Screening, Surveillance

Faricimab Succeeds in AVONELLE-X and SALWEEN Trials for nAMD, With Veeral Sheth, MD

Positive results from the AVONELLE-X and SALWEEN studies of faricimab (Vabysmo) have reinforced the safety, efficacy, and durability over 4 years in 

neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD)

 and over 1 year in polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), respectively.

AVONELLE-X was a 2-year open-label extension of the 2-year phase 3 TENAYA and LUCERNE studies of faricimab in nAMD. The trial evaluated the long-term safety and tolerability of faricimab 6 mg, administered via intravitreal injection and at a personalized treatment interval (PTI).

Patients eligible for AVONELLE-X had to have completed either the TENAYA or LUCERNE trial and displayed a difference of <10% in corneal endothelial cell density at screening between both eyes. Patients were excluded if they were pregnant or breastfeeding, had other ocular diseases conferring reasonable suspicion of a disease contraindicating faricimab, had a history of severe allergic reaction or anaphylactic reaction to a biologic agent of the faricimab injections, or were required to continuously use a medication or treatment prohibited by the investigators.

 sat down with Veeral Sheth, MD, director of clinical research at the University of Retina and Macula Associates and clinical assistant professor at the University of Illinois, to discuss the results of these groundbreaking trials. Sheth noted the positive vision outcomes of AVONELLE-X, spotlighting the overall maintenance of vision quality.

“One piece of data I thought was really good coming out of this extension is that, when patients were at 20/40 vision or better at year 1, after treating those patients and fast-forwarding to now, at the end of year 4, 75% of those patients maintain 20/40 or better vision,” Sheth told 

. “This is incredible because that’s something you can immediately translate into how we talk to our patients who come in newly diagnosed.”

SALWEEN was a single-arm, open-label phase 3b/4 study of faricimab in patients with PCV in Asia. It consists of a 28-day screening period and 3 treatment periods: a treatment initiation period (Day 1-Week 12), an individualized constant treatment interval period (Week 20-Week 44/48), and a PTI period (Week 44/48-Week 104). Patients first received 4 doses of faricimab 6 mg, injected in the study eye every 4 weeks. Patients would then receive faricimab 6 mg injections into the study eye at variable intervals, every 4, 8, 12, 16, or 20 weeks.

Patients included in SALWEEN experienced a gain of 8.9 letters in best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) from baseline, averaged over weeks 40, 44, and 48. At year 1, >50% of patients were assigned to extended 5-month dosing. Additionally, faricimab resolved PCV-related lesions in >60% of patients and led to inactivation of polypoidal lesions in 86% of eyes. Faricimab also exhibited a safety profile consistent with its known safety profile in nAMD.

Sheth highlighted excellent vision outcomes and significant dose extension in SALWEEN, which is a common theme among upcoming ophthalmology treatments in recent years.

“PCV is traditionally more difficult to treat and control and get resolution than typical or standard neovascular AMD,” Sheth said. “These patients did very well in terms of disease control, in terms of vision outcomes, and a majority of patients were actually able to get out to 24-week dosing intervals.”

Roche. New data for Roche’s Vabysmo reinforce its efficacy, safety and durability in neovascular or “wet” age-related macular degeneration (nAMD). September 4, 2025. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

https://www.roche.com/media/releases/med-cor-2025-09-05

Hoffmann-La Roche. A Study to Evaluate the Long-Term Safety and Tolerability of Faricimab in Participants With Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AVONELLE-X). ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04777201. Updated December 11, 2024. Accessed October 21, 2025. 

https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04777201?term=NCT04777201&rank=1

A study evaluating the effectiveness and safety of Faricimab (RO6867461) in participants with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy. http://isrctn.com/. Published online September 22, 2022. 

Videos

Sheth discusses the positive results in nAMD and PCV, highlighting faricimab’s capacity for dose extension and maintaining vision.

Ophthalmology

Ophthalmology page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into ophthalmic disease can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on eye disease research, treatment, and drug development.

Age-Related Macular Degeneration

age-related macular degeneration condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on retina disease. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for patients with AMD.

Corticosteroids in Pediatric AD Care

Panelists discuss how corticosteroids have long been a cornerstone of atopic dermatitis (AD) treatment, offering rapid relief from inflammation and itching. They explain that these medications reduce redness, swelling, and discomfort, helping restore skin integrity during flares. However, long-term or improper use can cause adverse effects, so careful guidance from health care professionals is vital.

Families often express fear or uncertainty about corticosteroids, especially regarding skin thinning or growth concerns. Panelists note that these risks are typically minimal when used as prescribed, emphasizing that education and reassurance are essential for caregiver confidence. Proper selection of potency and duration ensures effective results while maintaining safety.

Panelists underscore the need to balance rapid symptom control with long-term disease management. Integrating moisturizers, nonsteroidal options, and flare-prevention strategies can help reduce reliance on corticosteroids over time.



Panelists discuss how corticosteroids remain essential for controlling flares but must be used thoughtfully with education and reassurance for families.

Video Series

Peer Exchange

HCPLive® Peer Exchange panel discussions feature authoritative insights, opinions, and perspectives on important issues facing today's care professionals.

Lindsay Ackerman, MD, explores key clinical and patient-centered factors guiding therapy selection in psoriasis management.

Major Considerations for Treatment Selection in Psoriasis

This HCPLive Insights series, featuring Dr. Lindsay Ackerman, delves into the evolving landscape of moderate to severe psoriasis treatment. It begins by exploring how advancements in biologic and small molecule therapies have redefined clinical goals and improved patient outcomes. Dr. Ackerman emphasizes how these developments have shifted the standard of care toward more personalized, outcome-focused management, enhancing both efficacy and patient quality of life.

The discussion progresses to highlight the clinical and practical considerations in therapy selection. Dr. Ackerman examines how treatment decisions are influenced by factors such as disease severity, comorbidities, patient preferences, and long-term safety. She compares findings from head-to-head trials and real-world data, offering a nuanced view of how evidence shapes physician confidence in therapy sequencing and optimization. The series also addresses comparisons between oral small molecules and IL-23/IL-17 biologics, noting distinctions in efficacy, safety, and suitability for different patient types.

Finally, the series explores emerging and specialized aspects of psoriasis care. Dr. Ackerman discusses strategies for treating high-impact or visible areas (e.g., scalp, nails, genitals) and tailoring biologic choices to site-specific disease burdens. She advocates for improving clinical trial designs to reflect real-world populations and highlights the promise of biomarkers and novel agents in enabling precision-based treatment approaches. The discussion underscores a shift toward holistic, data-driven, and patient-centered psoriasis management.

Chelsie Derman is an associate editor for 

who covers psychiatry, sleep medicine, geriatrics, migraine, and allergy. She joined MJH Life Sciences in September 2023 after graduating from The College of New Jersey with a bachelor’s degree in journalism and professional writing. In her free time, she enjoys creative writing and reading.

In a recent study, a 30 mg maintenance dose significantly increased reaction thresholds and improved immune markers in children with peanut allergy.

Allergy

Allergy condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on allergic and inflammatory diseases. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for food and seasonal allergies, as well as allergic asthma and related conditions.

Low-Dose Peanut OIT (30 mg) Matches Benefits of 300 mg Dose With Fewer Reactions

Panelists discuss how individualized, consistent topical care helps build trust, promotes adherence, and prevents disease flare-ups in children with AD.

Topical Standard of Care in Pediatric AD

Lindsay Ackerman, MD, discusses how advancements in biologic and small molecule therapies are redefining treatment goals and patient outcomes in moderate to severe psoriasis.

Evolving Standards of Care in Moderate to Severe Psoriasis

Despite clinical definitions suggesting patients recover from exacerbations within 2 weeks of hospital discharge, most patients in a qualitative survey believed they had not achieved recovery within 3 months.

Conference

 conference coverage page features articles, videos, and expert-led live coverage from major medical meetings throughout the year.

COPD

COPD condition center page, resources on the topics of medical news and expert insight into chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can be found. Content includes articles, interviews, videos, podcasts, and breaking news on COPD research, treatment, and drug development.

Pulmonology

Infectious Disease condition center page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on respiratory health. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, COVID-19, and more.

Clinical and Patient Definitions of Acute COPD Exacerbation Recovery Differ Greatly

Ryan Livingston joined the MJH Life Sciences team in March of 2025, shortly after graduating from TCNJ with a bachelor’s degree in English. He enjoys creative writing, reading, and scuba diving. He can be reached at rlivingston@mjhlifesciences.com.

A total of 8 acute and chronic disease factors, including hypertension, obesity, and physical inactivity, compound to increase mortality and CVD risk.

Endocrinology

The HCPLive endocrinology page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on endocrine system conditions. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for diabetes, hormonal disease, and more.

Type 1 Diabetes

Type 2 Diabetes

Adults with Type 1 Diabetes Have Higher All-Cause Mortality Risk

Evidence-based guidelines from emphasize personalized transfusion strategies for critically ill patients, urging clinicians to avoid routine platelet and fresh frozen plasma transfusions during common procedures.

Hospital Medicine

The HCPLive hospital medicine page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on the emergency medicine specialty. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for emergent care, and more.

Surgery

The HCPLive surgery page is a resource for medical news and expert insights on invasive medicine. This page features expert-led coverage, articles, videos and research on the therapies and development of treatments for surgery, and more.

Guidelines in Review: CHEST Advises Against Routine Blood Transfusions for Critically Ill Patients During Procedures

Wood shares 3 factors that influencing our nationally poor rates of high-risk lung cancer screening.

Lung Cancer

What Ails Lung Cancer Screening, with Douglas Wood, MD

McCormack believes simple lung function results accrued over a lifetime can optimize an individual's pulmonary care.

Asthma

The HCPLive asthma page is a comprehensive resource for clinical news and insights on asthmatic disease. This page consists of interviews, articles, podcasts, and videos on the research, treatment and development of therapies for allergic and severe asthma, and more.

The Case for More Spirometry, Pulmonary Function Testing, with Meredith McCormack, MD

A new study finds that rates of peanut and other IgE-mediated food allergies declined following the 2015 and 2017 early peanut introduction guidelines.


Early Peanut Introduction Guidelines Linked to Drop in Food Allergy Rates

This approval represents an alternative method for approaching this undertreated disease, shortening recovery while minimizing invasiveness.

Latest News

Rethinking the Black Box: JAK Inhibitors Find Their Place in Dermatology

ACP Releases Position Paper on Colorectal Cancer Screening, Surveillance

Faricimab Succeeds in AVONELLE-X and SALWEEN Trials for nAMD, With Veeral Sheth, MD

Corticosteroids in Pediatric AD Care

Major Considerations for Treatment Selection in Psoriasis