World Atopic Eczema Day 2026: #BreakTheInvisibleBurden
World Atopic Eczema Day 2026
The European Atopic Eczema Community will come together on World Atopic Eczema Day 2026, September 14th, to amplify the voices of those living with atopic eczema. Atopic eczema is one of the most prevalent skin diseases in the world and one of the most under-recognised. It affects over 230 million people globally, causing chronic pain as well as social, emotional and economic burdens, as most aspects of patients’ lives, like work, school, sleep, are heavily affected by the disease.
Despite its significant human and economic cost, many people – policymakers included – still view as “just a rash”. Atopic eczema remains misunderstood, sidelined, and under-recognized in health policy. It is often excluded from health strategies, funding calls, and data collection frameworks, leaving a gap in understanding its full impact on citizens and healthcare systems.
The 2026 theme #BreakTheInvisibleBurden represents a call to action to implement the necessary policy changes to break the burdens faced daily by patients with atopic eczema. It supports the Skin Diseases Resolution adopted by Member States at the 78th World Health Assembly which recognises “Skin Diseases as a Global Health Policy Priority”. This Resolution specifically highlights the risk of underestimation of the burden of skin diseases. It offers an opportunity to advocate for awareness of the condition’s medical, social, economic, public health, and financial burdens.
#BreakTheInvisibleBurden is a strong call to turn the Resolution into action at national, regional, and global level. It represents a strong framework that allows patients and patient organisations around the world to bring forward their asks and requests for policy change at national level.
Why World Atopic Eczema Day?
World Atopic Eczema Day was launched in 2018 to raise awareness about the disease globally and across Europe through an initiative coordinated by the European Federation of Allergy and Airways Diseases Patients’ Associations (EFA) and the International Alliance of Dermatology Patient Organizations (GlobalSkin).
The day marks the effort of the patient community to:
• Building a global movement for awareness, change and improve lives
• Empowering patient groups with messages and materials to make their voices heard
• Supporting and honoring patients, their families and caregivers,
• Inform the general public to enhance understanding of atopic eczema and its impact
World Atopic Eczema Day has focused on specific themes through the years:
2025: "Our Skin, Our Journey"
The objective of the campaign in 2025, focused on general awareness of Atopic Eczema, highlighting the journey that patients have to navigate, as individuals and as a community, to control the disease and live with its ups and downs in the shape of painful flare-ups and relapses.
“Our Skin, Our Journey” has been an opportunity for patient organisations, patients, caregivers and healthcare professionals to share their experiences, their stories and challenges, as well as to give and find support.
Download the Wolrld Atopic Eczema Day 2025 EFA Community report.
Download the World Atopic Eczema Day 2025 Toolkit.
2024: #AtopicEczemaUnfiltered
The 2024 #AtopicEczemaUnfiltered campaign focused on the real experiences of people living with Atopic Eczema and shed light on the untold stories of Atopic Eczema patients.
In a world where social media often present a polished version of reality, the true challenges of living with chronic conditions like Atopic Eczema remain largely unseen and misunderstood. The campaign supported patients’ commitment to authenticity, encouraging the community to share the reality of the disease as it is, therefore fostering genuine connections, raising awareness of the atopic eczema burdens, promoting empathy and empowering patients to speak about their lived experiences.
Download the World Atopic Eczema Day EFA Community Report.
Download the World Atopic Eczema Day 2024 Toolkit.
2023: #IfYouOnlyKnew
In 2023, the campaign aimed to raise awareness about the psychosocial impact of atopic eczema, particularly how it affects the mental health of children and youth. The Atopic Eczema Community gathered on September 14th to speak up about the burden the disease places on patients and caregivers, emphasising the need for comprehensive care and treatment.
The campaign shared the thoughts of children and youth living with atopic eczema through the hashtag #IfYouOnlyKnew. We encouraged patients and their carers to share their personal stories.
Visuals and messaging were organised around the theme: Psychosocial Burden on Children and Youth with quotes from young patients collected from all over the world
Download the World Atopic Eczema Day Campaign Toolkit 2023.
2022: Inside Atopic Eczema!
In 2022 the objective of the campaign was raising awareness among the general pubilc, the institutions and the healthcare professional community regarding the many burdens this illness causes on patients and carers.
Visuals and messaging were grouped around five key burdens:
- Burden of Extreme Itch and Physical Pain
- Burden on Family and Caregivers
- Burden on Finances
- Burden on Mental Health
- Burden of Daily Management
Download the World Atopic Eczema Day Communications Toolkit 2022: [EN] [ES] [FR] [SRB] [TR]
Download Social Media Cards, Printable and Logos: [EN] [ES] [FR] [SRB] [TR]
2021: Unite for Atopic Eczema
In 2021 we continued the digital campaign to call on healthcare professionals, health policy decision makers and all stakeholders to unite with the atopic eczema patient community and work together to recognise the need for care and treatment that is reflective of the multi-dimensional nature of the disease.
2020: How do YOU care for atopic eczema?
In 2020 we brought attention to patients and their families, focusing on how the disease seriously impacts families' daily life. We encouraged healthcare professionals and decision makers to ask themselves "how do YOU care for atopic eczema?" through a toolkit for an entirely digital campaign.
See our 2020 Campaign Materials
Dowload the World Atopic Eczema Day Communications Toolkit 2020: [EN] [FI] [SR] [CZ] [FR] [] [ES] [DA] [DE] [SL] [NL] [IT] [SE]
Download Socia Media Cards, Printables and Logos: [EN] [FI] [SR] [ES] [IT] [SE] [TEMPLATES]
2019: Atopic Eczema – Beneath the surface
The launch of the World Atopic Eczema Day logo brought the community together to focus on how atopic eczema is much tougher on patients than people understand. Bringing the AtopicalLives photo exhibiton online and emphasizing it with an atopic eczema video, EFA invited a broad audience to take a look beneath the surface and get an insight on how the disease impacts patients' lives beyond their skin.
2018: Raising Awareness for Atopic Eczema
With the European Report "Itching for Life: Quality of Life and costs for people with severe atopic eczema in Europe", EFA provided insights into how atopic eczema impacts patients' Quality of Live. The report provided new patient evidence on the diseases' physical, mental and financial impact on patients. The accompanying AtopicalLives photo exhibition, that was presented physically at EADV Congress in Paris, allowed for deep personal insights into the daily life of atopic eczema patients from all over Europe.
What is atopic eczema?
Atopic eczema is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that sits at the center of other health issues: it impacts mental health, and leads to the development of other diseases. Atopic eczema is incredibly difficult on patients and their families, seriously impacting daily life. An individual’s health and overall wellbeing can be severely impaired by the disease.
If you need more information about World Atopic Eczema Day, please contact
Thank you to all our World Atopic Eczema Day supporters, especially the expert patients of EFA Working Group on Atopic Eczema (a group formed by EFA Members), who have contributed to the planning and execution of this campaign.
Acknowledgements
EFA thanks sincerely our Sustainable Corporate Partners for their support for this project over the years:
2025: Sanofi-Regeneron Alliance, Almirall, Pfizer, Incyte
2024: Sanofi and Regeneron
2023: AbbVie, Sanofi-Regeneron
2022: AbbVie, Sanofi-Regeneron
2021: AbbVie, LeoPharma, Sanofi-Regeneron
2020: AbbVie, Sanofi-Regeneron
2019: Pfizer, Sanofi-Regeneron
2018: Regeneron, Sanofi