For many years, skin diseases received little attention on the global health stage despite their widespread impact. They affect not only physical wellbeing but also mental health, social inclusion, and economic security for millions of people. In response to this neglect, the International League of Dermatological Societies (ILDS) introduced the Grand Challenges for Skin Health in 2015 to drive change. Ten years on, those efforts have helped secure a historic milestone: the World Health Assembly has officially recognized skin diseases as a global public health priority.

From June 10 to 12, 2025, GlobalSkin CEO Jennifer Austin and Operations Director Allison FitzGerald attended the  Patient Engagement Open Forum (PEOF) , co-hosted by Patient-Focused Medicines Development (PFMD) , EUPATI , and European Patients Forum . This event is a global gathering bringing together an unparalleled network of multicultural and multidisciplinary visionaries to shape the future of Patient Engagement (PE). The dynamic community meets during virtual and face-to-face sessions to collaborate, foster innovation, and co-create groundbreaking solutions to tackle the status quo and shape a strategy to bring systematic PE to life.