Atmosphere of the Meeting
Mr. Sasaki |
On February 20, 2008, “Clinical Research Center hhc Conference” was held, and gathered about 230 people, mostly from the Clinical Research Center. Mr. Norio Sasaki, the representatives of Japan Psoriasis Patients' Association, was invited to speak at the meeting.
Mr. Sasaki presented a lecture titled “Our thoughts, dreams, and expectations”, and talked about the condition, what the people with psoriasis had to go through, the establishment and activities of the Japan Psoriasis Patients' Association, and patients' hopes and expectations for a new drug and pharmaceutical companies.
In the question and answer session following the lecture, Ms Miki Sasaki told about patients' concerns and anxieties, which she had faced as a counselor for the Patients' Association. They included;
“Some studies indicate that the Quality of Life of people with psoriasis is lower than that in cancer patients.”
“One out of ten psoriasis patients have had suicidal thoughts or attempted suicide (some completed suicides have been reported)”
“Psoriasis patients tend to be isolated from the society and stay-at-home, and have difficulty to get a job.”
“Suffering from invidious discrimination based on misunderstanding about the condition that psoriasis is infectious”
“Many patients wishes to visit and enjoy a hot-spring resort”
“As much as a safe and effective new drug for psoriasis, we would like to ask for your sincere corporation to raise public awareness about psoriasis,” Mr. Sasaki said at the end of the lecture meeting. The meeting provided each of us a good opportunity to think what we could do to feel as the patients do, and to make patients happier and to create hopes for them.
