Statements address COVID-19 vaccination for psoriatic disease patients and the latest guidance
Portland, Oregon – December 14, 2020
On December 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a vaccine for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in individuals 16 years of age and older. This EUA allows for a new vaccine to be distributed in the United States.
In anticipation of vaccine approval, the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) COVID-19 Task Force developed new guidance statements addressing vaccine use in psoriatic disease patients for the prevention of COVID-19.
“The new mRNA vaccines are an astonishingly 95% effective in preventing COVID19 and are extremely safe. We recommend that patients with psoriatic disease get the vaccine as soon as it is available to them. Patients may continue their oral or biologic psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis treatment without interruption when receiving these immunizations,” said Joel Gelfand, M.D., MSCE, Professor of Dermatology and Epidemiology at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine and Co-Chair of the NPF COVID-19 Task Force.
The Task Force also refined treatment recommendations for patients who become infected with SARS-CoV-2 based upon current data. “Advances in therapies over the last several months that include the use of steroids, monoclonal antibodies and anti-viral agents have lessened mortality and the length of hospital stay in many patients hospitalized for COVID-19,” said Christopher Ritchlin, M.D., M.P.H., Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester Medical Center and Co-Chair of the NPF COVID-19 Task Force.
NPF launched its COVID-19 Task Force in May 2020, charged to identify critical needs for the psoriatic disease community and to serve as an expert resource to the organization in an advisory capacity. The Task Force is comprised of physicians with expertise in dermatology, rheumatology, infectious disease, and critical care, in addition to fellows and NPF staff.
In August, the NPF COVID-19 Task Force issued initial guidance statements as result of a modified Delphi process, which asked members to provide consensus on important questions posed by patients and health care providers. Methodology, full results, and discussion of these initial guidance statements were published in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology in September 2020. A subsequent publication of new statements and updates determined by consensus is in preparation for submission.
"The approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine has provided a light at the end of a tunnel and hope worldwide. Vaccination is a critical step in the fight against this life-changing pandemic. We are so fortunate to have an amazing group of providers and researchers to offer guidance to our community as we navigate this unprecedented time," said Stacie Bell, Ph.D., Chief Scientific and Medical Officer of the National Psoriasis Foundation.
The National Psoriasis Foundation continues to closely monitor the evolving situation. With expert guidance from its COVID-19 Task Force, NPF is committed to providing evidence-based recommendations for patients and health care providers. The Foundation encourages the psoriatic disease community to visit its COVID-19 Resource Center, adhere to public health guidelines, and consult with a health care provider if infected with SARS-CoV-2.
About the National Psoriasis Foundation
Serving its community through more than 50 years of patient support, advocacy, research, education and funding, the National Psoriasis Foundation, NPF, is the world’s leading nonprofit fighting for individuals with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The NPF mission is to drive efforts to cure psoriatic disease and dramatically improve the lives of more than 8 million individuals in the United States affected by this chronic immune-mediated disease. As part of that effort, NPF created its Patient Navigation Center to offer personalized assistance to everyone with psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis. To date, NPF has funded more than $24 million in research grants and fellowships that help drive discoveries that may lead to more and better treatments and ultimately a cure. Learn more at psoriasis.org