Money, poor outcomes main obstacles to psoriasis treatment in Malaysia
10 Jan 2023
byPank Jit Sin
The biggest obstacles to treating psoriasis in Malaysia are financial burden and ineffective treatment options, reveals a regional survey.
The survey in question was the recently completed “Psoriasis Patient Access & Education Survey” that interviewed psoriasis patients in Korea, Hong Kong, and Malaysia. It was revealed that 53 percent of respondents in Malaysia faced financial burden, ineffective treatment (49 percent) and inconvenient/unacceptable waiting times to see a healthcare provider (39 percent).
Additionally, many survey respondents indicated a lack of insurance coverage (either public or private insurance) for treatment expenditure, and 61 percent disclosed financial burdens resulting from treatment costs. These findings highlight the urgent need for increased funding access for psoriatic patients locally, as well as the classification of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis as critical illnesses under both public and private health insurance plans. The continued failure to address these funding and regulatory issues has resulted in a smaller proportion of Malaysian patients (only 14 percent) receiving the most advanced treatment than their counterparts in Korea (37 percent) and Hong Kong (55 percent). The results of this patient survey were released in conjunction with a World Psoriasis Day (WPD) event held on 30 October.
According to Psoriasis Association of Malaysia (PAM) president Major (Rtd) Eugene Cross, the results of the patient survey aligned with the feedback they received from PAM members. The majority of PAM members who have been severely affected by widespread skin lesions or autoimmune arthritis symptoms can receive adequate relief from biologics. However, this treatment is not curative, and patients require ongoing care. In addition, biologics treatment is estimated to cost between RM30,000 and RM50,000 per year.
Dr K. Thiruchelvam. deputy president of PAM, added: “The public may not realise that many psoriasis patients are not only affected physically, but emotional scarring is also common among patients. Combining the mental health aspect, the financial aspect and the physical symptoms—all add up to a patient’s heavy burden. Much needs to be done for psoriasis patients in Malaysia. PAM hopes to continue finding long-term solutions with the relevant health players to address the plight of psoriasis patients in our country.”
Psoriasis is a debilitating autoimmune and chronic inflammatory skin and joint condition. From October 2007 to December 2019, the National Registry in Malaysia recorded a total of approximately 23,800 psoriasis patients, although it is estimated that the disease affects about 300,000 Malaysians. This year’s World Psoriasis Day theme is “United We Tackle Mental Health” because mental health is increasingly recognized as an important aspect of psoriatic disease management.