Context: atopic eczema is not "just a skin rash"
Atopic eczema is one of the most prevalent skin diseases in the world and one of the most under-recognised chronic diseases. It is often dismissed as “just a skin condition or rash”, but it’s a lot more: intense itching, anxiety, depression, stigma, bullying, social isolation, sleep loss, and significant financial load. It is a heavy burden often invisible from the outside that reaches deep into patients’ lives, their confidence, relationships, present and future.
It affects millions of Europeans, many of whom live with moderate-to-severe symptoms that go far beyond skin irritation. Despite its significant human and economic cost atopic eczema remains misunderstood, sidelined, and under-recognised in EU health policy. It is often excluded from major EU health strategies, funding calls, and data collection frameworks, leaving a gap in understanding its full impact on citizens and healthcare systems.
The lack of a holistic policy approach means that patients continue to face fragmented care pathways, limited psychological support, and social stigma. Addressing atopic eczema solely as a dermatological issue fails to capture its full burden and perpetuates the invisibility of millions living with the condition. Understanding and recognising the unseen, multi-dimensional burden of atopic eczema is critical to implement concrete actions towards better care, disease management, and quality of life for patients.
Atopic Eczema: Break The Invisible Burden
For too long, people with atopic eczema have been misunderstood, sidelined and discredited. The resolution ‘Skin diseases as a global public health priority’ adopted by the World Health Assembly in May 2025 marks a crucial moment for skin diseases such as atopic eczema. Concrete action is needed at EU and national level to turn the resolution into action and ensure better quality of life for atopic ezema patients.
The “Atopic Eczema: #BreakTheInvisibleBurden” campaign aims to turn the resolution into action through advocacy action at European and national level involving EFA members active on atopic eczema.
By recognising the invisible burden of atopic eczema, Europe can relieve patients, deliver more holistic care and ensure an improved quality of life for millions of patients. The main asks of the EFA Community include:
- Integration of atopic eczema into the next version of the EU NCD Initiative - Healthier Together (post-2027), addressing the challenges at the highest political level and fostering the exchange of AE-specific best practices across Member States.
- Establish an EU Joint Action focused on atopic eczema, formalising collaboration among EU institutions, Member States and stakeholders, enabling research funding, and the definition and achievement of joint disease-specific goals.
- Help generate evidence in support of systemic policymaking, including on the mental/social burden of atopic eczema, the existing awareness gaps and misinformation, and the reimbursement policies across the EU Member States.
EFA extends our sincere thanks to our sustainable corporate partners Sanofi-Regeneron Alliance, Almirall, Pfizer and Incyte for their support through unrestricted grants for our Atopic Eczema Skin Matters project.