L’Oréal and World Health Organization unite on expert dermatological care access
L’Oréal Groupe has announced a five-year initiative called the L’Oréal Act for Dermatology, pledging €20 million (US$21.8 million) to address the needs of the reported 2.1 billion people worldwide affected by skin diseases. Led by the company’s Dermatological Beauty Division, the program will partner with WHO to expand global access to expert dermatological care and treatment solutions.
Through the partnership, L’Oréal will support WHO’s ongoing efforts to combat prevalent skin diseases, including acne, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, vitiligo, and those linked to neglected tropical diseases. The partnership aims to enhance the foundation’s ability to monitor and address critical skin health challenges and seeks to close current disparities.
“L’Oréal Act for Dermatology represents our commitment to helping improve the lives of billions of people suffering from the physical, mental, and emotional burden of skin diseases by addressing the challenges they face in accessing skin health services,” says Myriam Cohen-Welgryn, president at L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty.
“By working closely with dermatologists and healthcare practitioners, scientific bodies, and global organizations like WHO, we can begin the mission of ensuring skin health accessibility for everyone, everywhere, leaving no community behind.”
Closing the gap
The L’Oréal Act for Dermatology fund is driving progress in skin health through a multifaceted approach, including investing in research to address barriers in skin health, such as skin color, the impact of climate change, and stigma surrounding some skin conditions.
Additionally, L’Oréal is committing to empowering education by training healthcare workers worldwide while partnering with NGOs to drive policy change. A €2 million (US$2.2 million) investment will facilitate free access to scientific papers in low-to-middle-income countries, aiming to widen skin health knowledge and offer financial support to dermatologists.
The initiative will launch a “Do Tank” to expand locally relevant solutions and increase access to skin diagnosis and treatment.
L’Oréal pledges €20 million to address the needs of 2.1 billion people worldwide affected by skin diseases.Global health crisis
The initiative coincides with a critical moment in the global health agenda, as skin health is increasingly recognized as a growing crisis. Reports suggest almost 3.5 billion people are living in countries with severely limited access to skin health services.
Last year, Personal Care Insights reported on L’Oréal’s initial research into the lack of access to disease treatments ahead of its Act for Dermatology pledge.
The 194-country Global Access to Skin Health Observatory study initiated by L’Oréal Dermatological Beauty in partnership with the International League of Dermatological Societies revealed that over a third of countries have one dermatologist or fewer per 100,000 people. WHO recommends four dermatologists for every 100,000 people.
“We are facing a crisis with access to healthcare, especially for people with skin diseases. A shortage of dermatologists and frontline healthcare workers trained in skin conditions has led to ‘dermatological deserts,’ leaving millions of people without diagnosis or treatment for their skin disease. This leads to severe or even life-threatening consequences,” said Esther Freeman, director of Global Health Dermatology at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.
“We face an urgent call to action: to empower and equip frontline healthcare workers, collaborate with governments to prioritize skin health on the public policy agenda, and champion locally sourced best practices globally.”
The 194-country Global Access to Skin Health Observatory study is ongoing and further results are expected to be published this year. Meanwhile, the 78th World Health Assembly aims to address a resolution in May, presenting skin diseases as a key global public health issue.
