29th October 2011 – This World Psoriasis Day (WPD), Leo Pharma cordially invited all members of the Psoriasis Association of Malaysia (PAM) to a movie screening entitled “In Time”. The screening was held at the Mid Valley Mega Mall Kuala Lumpur and attended by staff of Leo Pharma, consulting doctors and members from PAM. In attendance were members of PAM including their family members. The following are photos from the event:

The team from Leo Pharma who took time off on Saturday to help with the registration and issuing of movie tickets. At the venue were various colleagues from Leo Pharma including the product manager, national sales manager and Country Manager for Leo Pharma.

Mr Eugene Cross, the president of PAM with friends and Leo Pharma team.

Members from PAM having a light breakfast and refreshments prior to the movie screening.

Members seated and waiting for the launch programme prior to the movie screening.

(L-R) Doctor Steven Chow, Dr Noor Zalmy Azizan, Eugene and Mr Tan, Country Manager of Leo Pharma Malaysia unravelling the WPD buntings on stage to officiate World Psoriasis Day in Malaysia.

Official group photo as above.

The movie lasted approximately 109 minutes. The PAM members then adjourned with their families for lunch and shopping at the popular Mid Valley Megamall. We hoped everyone enjoyed the show and had a fun day out.

P/S You can find more information about the movie “In Time” here: http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/in_time/

This World Psoriasis Day, the radio station BFM 89.9 brings us an interview that features both sides of the story. We take a look at the technical, medical details of Psoriasis as well as the personal, humane side of those who have to live with the symptoms and understands the diseases and problems more intimately even than those who treat them. Listen to Dr. Suganthi Thevarajah, a senior consultant dermatologist, as well as from Mr. Eugene Clifford Cross, who has lived with psoriasis for over 40 years. Click here to download the podcast

This 29th of Oct 2011 being World Psoriasis Day, Leo Pharma cordially invites all members of the Psoriasis Association to a movie screening entitled “In Time”.

This movie is a Hollywood sci-fi thriller staring Justin Timberlake and Amanda Seyfried (Rated PG 13 Approx 109 mins).

Due to a large response for tickets via OFFLINE requests – reservation of tickets via ONLINE is now closed. For those of you who registered, see you on Saturday  Remember to bring that something extra in case it gets cold in the cinema

Watch a new documentary that was funded by a grant from Leo Pharma called Exposed - A Film About Coming To Terms With Psoriasis. Directed by James Routh (UK filmmaker), the documentary has Rena Ramani (first diagnosesd at age 13) being interviewed and then goes to meet other psoraisis patients to understand how psoriasis has affected their lives.

A particularly interesting segment is when Dr Stevens (who is involved in assessing General Practice training) also volunteers to have himself made up (via makeup) to have psoriasis on his head and face. He then goes out to meet everday people on the street and experiences first hand, how people react to his psoriasis.

Watch online or download the film here

Scalp psoriasis is often mistaken for either ordinary dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis. Find out what the actual differences are and explore recommended treatments with Dr Steven Chow, Secretary General of Asian Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and Hon. Medical Advisor of the Malaysia Psoriasis Asssociation.

Dr Steven Chow also reveals  details about Psoriasis treatment including mentioning that Psoriasis should be labelled as “immunological  based” vs describing Psoriasis as an “auto immune” disease. Click here to listen via streaming online or download the podcast.

The Psoriasis Association of Malaysia will be holding the 2011 AGM on 5th June 2011. Do drop by if you are free. Come on over to ‘network’ in person, catch up with each other and make new friends.

Details are found below:

Academy of Medicine Malaysia
G-1 Medical Academies of Malaysia, 210 Jln Tun Razak,
50400 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Map and photo here: http://bit.ly/khPtWL

AGENDA
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch
13.30 – 15.00 AGM

The Nervous System And Psoriasis: Lorena Riol Blanco’s research, funded by a National Psoriasis Foundation Discovery Grant, will be the first to examine the nervous system’s role in psoriasis.

By inducing inflammation similar to psoriasis in the skin of mice, Blanco hopes to learn how molecules in the nervous system react at the site of psoriasis lesions.

Blanco, a native of Spain, finished her doctorate at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid before coming the U.S., where she did her first post-doctoral training in the study of the role of the immune system in multiple sclerosis.

Click here for more.

Xamiol: A few weeks ago, Leo Pharma launched a new treatment called Xamiol. It is a topical treatment for scalp psoriasis with gel. Read more about it here   I had a test unit a few months ago. While I reckon it was effective for me – it was very messy. The gels gets on your hands (touching your scalp at night accidentally). If you have used it, share your experience here.

The Psoriasis Association will be having it’s 2011 AGM on May 29.Jun 05, 2011.  The venue and agenda is to be confirmed.

What happens at the AGM? Well, the Psoriasis Association of Malaysia is a registered volunteer based organisation. Under the guidelines of forming an official association – you are required to organise this once a year. Besides voting for new committee members and other official tasks – members can get to ‘network’ in person, catch up with each other and make new friends.

More info will be shared soon. Watch this space!

Psoriasis researchers had visited Capitol Hill to seek funding.

Scientist Tom McCormick, assistant professor of dermatology at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, believes that connecting patient experience with research findings is vital in understanding the impact that psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis have on public health, including factors such as quality of life and work productivity.”Making that bridge is critical,” McCormick said. It drives his dedication to ensure that Congress continues supporting collection of data on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

He spoke with lawmakers in early March as part of a group of scientists and volunteer leaders who traveled to Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., as well as to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) in Bethesda, Md., to advocate for federal support of psoriasis research.The goal is to stay in front of lawmakers who last year provided $1.5 million to fund the first stage of psoriasis data collection at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Atlanta. By keeping the need for psoriasis research in front of Congress, the hope is that funding will continue and the CDC can advance from the initial phase to the actual data collection.

Also participating in the fly-in were Terri Theisen, representing the National Psoriasis Foundation Board of Trustees, who told Congress about the Foundation’s investment in and commitment to research for a cure, and Lauren Oickle, who is pursuing a career in science in part because of her experience living with psoriatic disease.

Psoriasis researchers joining McCormick included:

Anne Bowcock, Ph.D, professor at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis;
Nehal Mehta, M.D., M.S., preventive cardiology, director of inflammatory risk, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, at University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in Philadelphia;
Abrar Qureshi, M.D., assistant professor, Harvard Medical School in Boston.

Click here to read the entire article