The International Pemphigus and Pemphigoid Foundation is holding its 2023 Patient Education Conference from October 27-29, 2023. Since 2020, this conference has been held virtually online, and this format will continue for the 2023 edition. However, the foundation hopes to return with an in-person event in 2024.

This event will feature presentations from leading pemphigus and pemphigoid experts on the latest research and treatment trends for this group of rare conditions. These experts will also provide the latest best practices for therapy and disease management as well as answer questions from patients.

The needs of this rare patient community continue to go unmet. Awareness among medical experts is still low, leading to poor outcomes and quality of life for patients. This virtual conference aims to connect the pemphigus and pemphigoid community across the world. 

About Pemphigus

Pemphigus vulgaris is the most common form of pemphigus, a rare disease that causes blisters to form on the skin and mucus membranes. Pemphigus is an autoimmune disease in which the immune system creates autoantibodies. This disease is more common in women and in people of Ashkenazi Jewish descent, revealing that people with certain genetic variants are more likely to get pemphigus. Symptoms include blisters that break and form into lesions and open wounds. They often first appear in the throat and mouth, making eating and swallowing extremely painful. Other surfaces where blisters may occur include the eyelids, genitalia, anus, and esophagus. Diagnosis of the disease can take a long time. In the past, this disease was often lethal as the open wounds that form can become easily infected, and the painful nature of mouth lesions can prevent patients from eating normally. Click here to learn more about pemphigus.

To register and learn more about the 2023 IPPF Patient Education Conference, click here.