The Challenge of Skin Diseases in Europe

It has been the mission of the EDF, ever since its foundation in 1997, to implement actions aimed at preventing skin diseases and improving the quality of health care for people with skin diseases and sexually transmitted infections, including allergy and skin cancer. This 2020 edition of the EDF White Book supports this vital work.

Skin diseases and sexually transmitted infections account for 20% of all diagnoses in the doctors’ office, and therefore present a major public health challenge for Europe. The clinical presentations range from minor transient problems to severe, debilitating diseases and include different cancers, cutaneous and systemic infections and chronic inflammatory diseases, all with a high burden to patients’ well-being and quality of life. The prevalence of diseases, especially skin cancers, allergies, chronic wounds and sexually transmitted infections, is steadily increasing, due in part to environmental factors as well as aging of the European population. Moreover, dermato-venereologists are being further challenged by the burden of disease borne by the large number of refugees and migrants now making their home in Europe. The treatment of skin diseases and sexually transmitted infections generates profound health economic concerns, notably as more effective, but nevertheless more expensive and new revolutionary therapies become available.

Correct diagnosis and prompt treatment can reduce management costs, cut morbidity and greatly improve the patients’ quality of life, further underscoring the importance of dermato-venereology.

This 6th edition of the EDF White Book has been updated and new chapters on important topics in dermato-venereology are included such as specific infections, body dysmorphic syndrome and psychologic impact of skin diseases or nutritional deficiencies and skin disorders. The White Book describes in general the burden of skin and sexually transmitted infections within Europe and shows how provision of care and costs vary across the continent. A directory of national dermatological associations, European dermatology societies and patient organizations, is included to provide a complete and valuable resource that will be useful to everyone involved in health care policy decision making. The White Book should be of interest to a broad spectrum of policy makers including medical schools and hospital administrators, as well as politicians, health care providers, physicians belonging to different medical disciplines, the pharmaceutical and medico-technical industry, patient support groups and not at least dermato-venereologists.