International Collaboration Announced to Improve Care for Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis in Latin America

The International Psoriasis Council (IPC) and its partner organizations have announced a new regional collaboration to improve care for psoriatic disease across Latin America. The full announcement is included below.

PANAMA CITY, Panama, [April 27, 2026] — The International Psoriasis Council (IPC), the International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA), the Pan American League of Associations for Rheumatology (PANLAR), the Latin American Society of Psoriasis and Dermoimmunology (SOLAPSO), and the Latin American Coalition of Immune-Mediated Skin Diseases (COLAPPIEL) have announced a new collaborative initiative to improve care for people living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis across Latin America.

The collaboration will be formally introduced during a joint symposium at the PANLAR Congress on April 27, 2026, bringing together dermatologists, rheumatologists, and patient advocates to address key challenges in the diagnosis and management of psoriatic disease.

Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis are chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory diseases that significantly impact quality of life. Despite advances in treatment, patients across Latin America continue to face delayed diagnosis, fragmented care between specialties, and unequal access to appropriate treatment.

This partnership reflects a shared commitment among the participating organizations to address these gaps through coordinated, multidisciplinary efforts.

The collaboration will focus on improving awareness and early identification of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, strengthening coordination between dermatology and rheumatology, expanding education and training for healthcare professionals, supporting research and regional data generation, and elevating the patient voice through advocacy and engagement.

These priorities are outlined in a joint Letter of Intent signed by the participating organizations, establishing a framework for future collaboration and shared initiatives.

“As efforts continue to improve how psoriasis is understood and managed globally, partnerships like this are essential,” said Claudia de la Cruz, Vice President/President Elect, IPC. “By working together across specialties and with patient organizations, we can help reduce delays in diagnosis and move toward more coordinated, patient-centered care.”

“This marks the first time such a significant step has been taken to ascertain, based on real evidence and rigorous data, the prevalence and incidence of individuals living with psoriasis, the comorbidities they have developed as a result of their condition, the treatments available to them in each country, the regional inequities they face, and every other possible data point that might assist public health policymakers. The goal is to enable them to devise innovative solutions that strengthen both the healthcare system and the health of patients, thereby preventing secondary conditions, as well as the stigmatization and discrimination that, being truly unacceptable, could and should be avoided. While this disease itself cannot be prevented, many of its consequences certainly can,” said Silvia Fernandez Barrio, Board Member, IFPA.

“PANLAR is proud to join IPC, SOLAPSO, and COLAPPIEL in this regional initiative to improve care for psoriatic disease across Latin America,” said Antonio Cachafeiro Vilar, President, PANLAR. “This collaboration highlights the need for earlier diagnosis and stronger coordination between specialties to improve patient outcomes.”

“This collaboration represents an important step toward addressing gaps in psoriasis care across Latin America, including delayed diagnosis and barriers to treatment,” said María Victoria Suárez Restrepo, President, SOLAPSO. “SOLAPSO remains committed to advancing education, research, and collaboration to improve patient outcomes in the region.”

“We welcome this regional partnership as an important step toward improving the care pathway for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis across Latin America,” said Martín Petrocco, President, COLAPPIEL. “By strengthening coordination between specialties and elevating the patient voice, this collaboration supports more integrated, patient-centered care.”

As an initial step, the organizations will convene a multidisciplinary symposium at PANLAR 2026 focused on improving the patient journey in psoriatic disease. The session will address early recognition of psoriatic arthritis, barriers to referral, and opportunities for more coordinated care across specialties, while also highlighting the importance of patient perspectives in shaping care delivery.

By bringing together scientific leadership, regional clinical expertise, and patient advocacy, this initiative aims to support more integrated models of care and reduce delays in diagnosis and treatment. The collaboration is designed as a flexible, evolving framework to guide future joint initiatives across education, research, and policy, with the goal of improving outcomes for people living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis across the Americas.