News and Events News Archive

2002 National Conference Summary: Saturday Afternoon

More than 400 people from 29 states and Canada gathered in Orlando, Fla., Aug. 9-11, for the 2002 National Conference. For everyone, the theme of the conference was the same: connecting with people and knowledge.

To illustrate the conference theme, here is a description of some of the events that took place and the people who were there.

Friday

Saturday: morning afternoon evening

Sunday

Saturday, 1:15 p.m.
With smiles lingering on their faces after a lunchtime presentation by Psoriasis Foundation member Ed Dewke, author of Flake: Confessions of a Psoriatic and host of the Web site www.flakehq.com, attendees went to various small workshops, such as "Alternative Approaches," "Phototherapy" or "Coping with the Emotional Aspects." Other workshops included "Systemic Treatment," "Practical Advice on Biologics" and "Topical Treatments."

In the phototherapy workshop, Jerry Bagel, M.D., director of the Psoriasis Treatment Center of Central New Jersey and a member of the Psoriasis Foundation Medical Advisory Board, explained the basics of ultraviolet light B (UVB) treatment to a crowd of about 20.

"If you don't stay clear for six months, that treatment wasn't worth it," he told the audience. After 25 to 30 treatments with narrow-band UVB, most of his patients will clear, and some stay clear for more than a year with one maintenance treatment per week, Dr. Bagel said.

But there is a right way and a wrong way for phototherapy to be used. Finding well-trained phototherapy technicians, making sure you use the same light box every time and asking lots of questions--for instance, how often do you calibrate the light boxes?--are key to keeping phototherapy safe and effective.

"Phototherapy is still the safest treatment for moderate psoriasis, and we have to keep a safe thing safe," he said.

Taking a break outside in the August Orlando heat, Sue Wilson, 62, from Foley, Ala., said all three of the workshops she attended were very good. Ms. Wilson said she was only diagnosed with psoriasis in October, but it is pustular psoriasis and when she flares, it is quite severe.

"I think the conference has been very good. One of the things I've learned is that my doctors don't know a whole lot about psoriasis."