Moderate-to-severe Psoriasis Clinical Trial
Official title:
Biologics Anchoring Study
Biologics are used to treat conditions such as moderate-to-severe psoriasis, a chronic condition that impairs quality of life as much or more than other major medical conditions. Biopharmaceuticals are medications which are are isolated from biological sources including microorganisms, animals or humans. These medications generally function to decrease inflammation or disrupt the inflammatory cycle. Patients are often apprehensive about choosing a biologic medication over other options due to anxiety regarding the need for regular injections, leaving the patient undertreated and continuing to suffer with psoriasis. Reducing fears of injections may improve adherence to treatment and may improve treatment outcomes. Fear of injection is inherently subjective and may be easily modified. Anchoring is the tendency for humans to rely on a specific value when making decisions and to make judgments relative to that value. Patients who have never taken an injection will subjectively view the idea of taking an injection relative to the "not taking any injection" baseline. This comparison is scary and represents a considerable hurdle to taking a new injectable medication that may be otherwise optimal for their treatment. Resetting the anchor may be all that is needed to help patients overcome fear of injection. The objective is to assess whether patients offered a once monthly injectable biologic would be more likely to accept that biologic medication if they are first counseled about a daily injection.
Biologics are used to treat a variety of medical conditions across multiple medical
specialties. In the Dermatology specialty, biologics are used to treat conditions such as
moderate-to-severe psoriasis, a chronic condition that impairs quality of life as much or
more than other major medical conditions. Biopharmaceuticals are medications which are are
isolated from biological sources including microorganisms, animals or humans. Examples of
biologic medications commonly used in dermatology include tumor necrosis factor-alpha
(TNF-alpha) blockers/inhibitors (etanercept, infliximab, certolizumab pegol, golimumab),
interleukin 12/23 blockers (ustekinumab), and interleukin 17A blockers (secukinumab,
ixekizumab).
These medications generally function to decrease inflammation or disrupt the inflammatory
cycle. Biologic medications are administered via injection by the patient or a healthcare
provider. Most of the medications require periodic injections approximately once per month.
Patients may undergo periodic lab monitoring to assess for side effects. Biologic medications
have revolutionized dermatology and the general medical field. Patients are often
apprehensive about choosing a biologic medication over other option due to anxiety regarding
the need for regular injections, leaving the patient undertreated and continuing to suffer
with psoriasis. Reducing fears of injections may improve adherence to treatment and may
improve treatment outcomes. Fear of injection is inherently subjective and may be easily
modified.
Anchoring is the tendency for humans to rely on a specific value when making decisions and to
make judgments relative to that value. Patients who have never taken an injection will
subjectively view the idea of taking an injection relative to the "not taking any injection"
baseline. This comparison is scary and represents a considerable hurdle to taking a new
injectable medication that may be otherwise optimal for their treatment.
Resetting the anchor may be all that is needed to help patients overcome fear of injection.
The investigators hypothesize that if a patient were first counseled about the possibility of
taking an injectable biologic medication daily, they would be much less hesitant to take a
monthly injection.
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| Status | Clinical Trial | Phase | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not yet recruiting |
NCT06165887 -
The Relationship Between Moderate-to-severe Psoriasis and Sleep Disturbance
|