Patient Information Resources  

The National Psoriasis Foundation
The National Psoriasis Foundation web site is the most comprehensive online source of patient information about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis:

• Help the National Psoriasis Foundation Find a Cure for Psoriasis by supporting the Foundation's campaign to raise $5 million for research and advocacy.
• Enter your zip code on the home page to find local physicians and support groups.
• Join the Foundation or register for free to post in the redesigned and member-moderated community forums.
• The Foundation's Psoriasis Overview contains articles with information about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis diagnosis, symptoms, statistics, types of disease, issues faced by children and teens with psoriasis, and social factors.
• The Research Overview contains articles about the current scientific understanding of psoriasis, psoriasis genetics, clinical trials, drugs in development, the immune system, research news, and the Foundation's research grants program and Victor Henschel BioBank project.
• Other featured sections of the site include a Treatment Overview, a News and Events page, and resources for both Youth and Parents of Children with Psoriasis.
• Publications available online include free educational booklets, Psoriasis Forum, a magazine for medical professionals, an interactive Treatment Guide, and Psoriasis Advance, the Foundations magazine for members.
• The Foundation's Advocacy Department provides online interactive resources for raising psoriasis awareness in Congress, and information for people dealing with disability, discrimination and insurance issues.
• If you or a family member or friend has psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis, please consider joining the Foundation. It needs the support of the psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis communities in order to be an effective voice on our behalf.

HealthFinder
Healthfinder is a web site for consumers developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in cooperation with other federal agencies. A well researched meta-list, this site provides disease and treatment-specific links to online resources from "over 1,500 health-related organizations".

MedlinePlus
MedlinePlus draws on information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations. The MedlinePlus web site provides a drug information database, a medical encyclopedia, interactive patient tutorials, and health news.

AAD PsoriasisNet
PsoriasisNet is a service of the American Academy of Dermatology designed for patients and health professionals. The PsoriasisNet web site contains treatment information, FAQs, news releases and articles on topics such as genetics, coping, and psycho-social aspects of psoriasis.

NIAMS Psoriasis FAQ
This is a very basic psoriasis FAQ from the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders (NIAMS). NIAMS is the branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) that focuses on research into the causes, treatment, and prevention of arthritis, and musculoskeletal and skin diseases.

International Federation of Psoriasis Associations
The International Federation of Psoriasis Associations (IFPA) is a nonprofit organization composed of psoriasis associations from around the world. Materials available at the IFPA site include monthly newsletters and links to member associations.

Health Talk - Psoriasis
Health Talk provides patient-oriented streaming media discussions and interviews with physicians, patient advocates, and health care professionals. Note: Some discussions and interviews may be sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.

Healthology - Psoriasis
Healthology provides physician-authored articles and streaming media discussions of various psoriasis-related topics. Note: Some media and articles may be sponsored by pharmaceutical companies.

Psoriatic Arthritis Support - Arthritis Resources List
The Psoriatic Arthritis Support email list web site (see Online Communities) provides this comprehensive listing of psoriatic arthritis resources on the Web.

See also: Consumer Information

    Patient Assistance Resources  

NeedyMeds Patient Assistance
The NeedyMeds web site contains information about "patient assistance programs which provide no cost prescription medications to eligible participants". These programs are provided in lists sorted by medication brand name, generic name, program name, and by company name. Also listed are state and local assistance programs, discount drug cards, and the application forms in printable PDF format for many of these programs.

DisabilityResources.org
Disability Resources produced this list of links to pharmaceutical companies and organizations that provide "prescription medicines free of charge to individuals who cannot otherwise afford them".

Equal Employment Commission
The mission of the Equal Employment Commission (EEC) is to eliminate illegal discrimination from the workplace. The EEC web site provides instructions on how to file a charge of employment discrimination, how to contact a local field office, and provides information about administrative procedures and mediation.

Family and Medical Leave Act
The Family and Medical Leave Act requires covered employers to grant eligible employees up to a total of 12 work weeks of unpaid medical leave during any 12 month period when the employee is unable to work because of a serious health condition. The above-linked page on the department of Labor web site provides information about the Act.

Americans with Disabilities Act Home Page
The central online hub for the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), this web site provides a legal guide to disability right laws, a FAQ, status reports, online courses, and pointers to the different federal agencies charged with enforcing the laws created by the Act.

Social Security Online - Disability
This government web site provides a "Benefit Eligibility Screening Tool" (BEST) to help identify the different Social Security programs for which a person may be eligible. It also provides an overview of SSI, a general description of eligibility requirements, and instructions on how to apply and speed up a claim.

See also: Psoriasis Foundation Advocacy Department

    Sites by People with Psoriasis  

Flake HQ
"Psoriasis (sor-i'-a-sis): (noun) human molting. See also FLAKE." Ed Dewke's quirky, humorous, and entertaining yet always informative web site is a must visit for all people with psoriasis. According to Ed: "About 50% of the content of (FlakeHQ) is written by visitors as e-mail to Ed Dewke. Ed and his correspondents are psoriatics or friends and family of psoriatics. While psoriasis is not to be taken lightly, finding humor and compassion in the psoriatic condition can be useful..."

The Skin Page
Psoriasis and skin-diseases support and self-education are the focus of this noncommercial web site created by Ed Anderson. Ed's site features a list of medical search engines, a Psoriasis Self-Help Info Page, a newsgroup guide, numerous skin-disease related files, and the Psoriasis Hall of Pshame, an essential debunking tool for dealing with psoriasis misinformation online.

Psoriasis Newsgroup FAQ
This valuable resource is a combination FAQ and collection of heavily annotated links to information sources about psoriasis and the psoriasis newsgroup. The FAQ is split into sections about psoriasis basics, newsgroup basics, psoriasis treatments, prospective future treatments, psoriasis research, how to find a physician, and more. The FAQ has been posted to the newsgroup on a monthly basis for years by author Kim Malo, and also has this home on the web.

Dave's Psoriasis Info
DaveW has built a web site devoted to the examination and review of online treatments, doctors, articles, books - basically everything online related to psoriasis. If there is a psoriasis site on the net, then odds are Dave links to it. Note: this site is no longer being updated.

Psoriasis Books
If you buy books or other items online by following the links on this page, then 100% of the commission that is generated goes to the National Psoriasis Foundation; a very laudable effort by Jerry J.

My Skin's On Fire - Living with Psoriasis
My Skin's on Fire - Living with Psoriasis is a digital film produced under the auspices of the Psoriasis Video Project. This creative documentary is focused on the day-to-day realities of living with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The web site includes a 5 minute preview clip of the film.

    Online Communities  

National Psoriasis Foundation Forums
This largest and most active on-line psoriasis community was thoughtfully redesigned in mid 2007, and its forums are now moderated by a volunteer moderation team composed of Foundation members. The community consists of ten public forums populated by people dedicated to helping others: "Psoriasis", "Psoriatic arthritis", "Complementary and alternative", "Parents, friends and family", "Teens and young adults", "Insurance and disability issues", "Emotional support and coping techniques", "Advocacy for a cure", "Psoriasis community news" and "Conversations". The forums average over 200 messages posted per day.

PsorChat
Founded in 2001, this Yahoo group hosts a friendly and active psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis community. Affiliated with FlakeHQ, Ed Dewke is a frequent participant. With its no-spam policy, Psorchat features supportive discussion free of solicitations. For more information, see the PsorChat Review on FlakeHQ.

Psoriatic Arthritis Support
This is the home page of a large, active and friendly mailing list community of over 2500 people with psoriatic arthritis. The list is administered through Yahoo Groups and features a searchable archive. (You must be a member in order to post or view messages.) Resources include articles on symptoms and tips for living, a psoriatic arthritis web resources page, case histories, and a "News and Views" newsletter.

Psoriasis-Help.Org.UK
Psoriasis-Help is a volunteer-run web site and community hosted in the United Kingdom. The site contains educational articles about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It also features a very large, friendly, and strongly-knit forum community with over 220,000 messages posted at the time of this write-up. The forum consists of several discussion boards devoted to various topics including: psoriasis research and treatment, case histories, psoriatic arthritis and alternative treatments.

Psoriasis NewsGroup: alt.support.skin-diseases.psoriasis
The temporal granddaddy of online interactive psoriasis resources, this unmoderated newsgroup was created in 1994 by Steve Krause. Today, it hosts a small but feisty community who speculate widely about the causes of psoriasis. If you visit, be prepared to peruse a variety of theories and navigate long, technical, and sometimes cryptic messages. For more information about the newsgroup, see the Psoriasis Newsgroup FAQ.

Arthritis NewsGroups
Significant psoriatic arthritis (PA) related discussions occur in three Usenet newsgroups: alt.support.arthritis, misc.health.arthritis, and the psoriasis newsgroup listed above. Even if PA is not being specifically referenced, discussions of medications and drugs under development for rheumatoid arthritis may also be relevant to the treatment of psoriatic arthritis.

    Drug Information Databases  

CDER Drug Information Index
The mission of the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) is to ensure that drugs sold in the United States are safe and effective. The CDER web site contains information about new drug approvals, general drug information, and resources for consumers, including this Drug Information Index.

Medline Plus Drug Information
This drug information database at the National Institutes of Health contains information on thousands of prescription and over-the-counter medications. The database can be browsed using an alphabetized index on the home page.

Drug Digest
DrugDigest is a noncommercial, "evidence-based", consumer health and drug information site. It features a news and reviews section, a drug and herbal remedies library, and a drug interaction database.

PDRhealth
The drug information on this web site is written in lay terms and based on the FDA-approved drug information found in the Physicians Desk Reference. Drug monographs include listings of side effects, drug interactions, and other useful information.

RxList
RxList is a searchable online index of prescription drug monographs. It can be searched by keyword, "Imprint" code, NDC code, brand name, and generic name. It also enables "fuzzy" searching that adjusts and accounts for spelling errors.

FDA Medwatch
Medwatch is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) program for reporting serious reactions to drugs and medical devices. The Medwatch site provides online reporting forms for consumers, health professionals, manufacturers and distributors. The Medwatch database is also available on the site and is searchable by keyword. (Also see the Toolbox Search Tools and Regulatory Documents pages.)

FDA MAUDE
The Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience Database (MAUDE) contains records of reports of adverse events involving medical devices. The data consists of voluntary reports since June 1993, user facility reports since 1991, distributor reports since 1993, and manufacturer reports since August 1996 ... more about MAUDE.

ToxNet Toxicology Data Network
ToxNet, hosted at the National Library of Medicine, provides public access to online searchable databases on toxicology, hazardous chemicals, environmental health, and toxic releases. ... more about ToxNet.

Lab Tests Online
Lab Tests Online is designed to help patients and caregivers to better understand the clinical lab tests that are part of both routine care and the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of conditions and diseases.

See also: National Psoriasis Foundation Treatment Overview

    Dermatology & Rheumatology Resources  

International Psoriasis Council
This international group "creates programs, events, and materials that provide a forum for psoriasis experts and health professionals to share knowledge, experiences, and insights toward optimizing our understanding and treatment of psoriasis".

GRAPPA
The Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis is an international nonprofit "organized specifically to facilitate sharing of information related to psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, networking among different medical disciplines that see psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients and to enhance research, diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis".

American Academy of Dermatology
This link retrieves articles from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) web site that reference psoriasis. The AAD is an organization for dermatologists. Its mission is to provide continuing medical education and to play a role in formulating policies that affect dermatologic care. Not all articles may be accessible to nonmembers.

British Medical Journal: Psoriasis | Psoriatic Arthritis
These links retrieve articles from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) that reference psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. BMJ is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the British Medical Association. The BMJ web site freely provides the full text of all original research articles, all articles within the first the seven days of publication, and all articles that have been published for more than one year. Non-research articles between 1 week and 52 weeks old are only available to subscribers.

Medscape: Psoriasis | Psoriatic Arthritis
These links retrieve documents from the Medscape database that reference psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Medscape is a portal for healthcare professionals that provides medical content and educational tools. Available content includes review articles, journal commentary, expert columns, patient education articles, and updated medical news. Free registration is required to access most professional content.

Dermatology Online Journal
The Dermatology Online Journal provides online information for dermatologists and dermatology residents. It is self described as "an experiment in the process of presenting information in a format more appropriate for networked computing." All articles are original to the journal and freely available in full text format.

eMedicine: Psoriasis | Psoriatic Arthritis
These links point to comprehensive articles about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis on the eMedicine web site. eMedicine is a portal for healthcare professionals affiliated with WebMD. Both articles are technical in nature, and written for medical professionals.

Doctor's Guide: Psoriasis | Psoriatic Arthritis
These links retrieve documents in the Doctor's Guide database that reference psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Doctor's Guide is a search-portal designed to help medical professionals access peer-reviewed literature, case studies, webcasts/CME etc. Most of the search results will be Pubmed hits (usually abstracts only). Some of the search results may be freely accessible online CME (Continuing Medical Education) courses providing information about psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treatments.

Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases is a peer review journal for health professionals and researchers in the rheumatic diseases published by the British Medical Journal Group. It "covers all aspects of Rheumatology, which includes the spectrum of musculoskeletal conditions, arthritic disease, and connective tissue disorders." A special March 2005 Supplement with freely-accessible full text articles is devoted to the coverage of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Arthritis Research & Therapy
Arthritis Research & Therapy is a peer reviewed print and online journal published by Biomed Central that focuses on "studies related to the rationale and treatment of arthritis, autoimmune disease and diseases of bone and cartilage". According to the policy stated on the magazine's web site, all research articles are open access, but non-research articles may be restricted to access by subscribers only.

Rheumatology
Rheumatology "is an international peer review journal publishing the highest quality scientific and clinical papers.
The scope of Rheumatology includes the full spectrum of rheumatological conditions, musculoskeletal medicine and surgery. Rheumatology aims to provide very rapid publication of all papers both online and in hard copy." Rheumatology is published by Oxford Journals.

The Journal of Rheumatology
The Journal of Rheumatology delivers a "unique medical discovery cycle of international rheumatology research, peer review, and peer readership many years in the making." The Journal's Web site provides a Web-based online submission and peer review system that allows authors to access the status of submitted manuscripts in real time.

Dermatology Times: Psoriasis
This link retrieves documents from the Dermatology Times web site that reference psoriasis. The Dermatology Times is a newsmagazine for dermatologists providing reviews of clinical literature, and articles on practice management, and managed care. Most articles are freely accessible.

Skin Therapy Letter - Psoriasis
This peer-reviewed publication is designed for physicians and other medical professionals. The section on psoriasis is compact, but covers types of psoriasis, quality of life issues, and includes separate sections on OTC, topical, phototherapeutic, oral, and immunobiologic treatments.

Archives of Dermatology: Psoriasis
This link retrieves abstracts of articles from the Archives of Dermatology web site that reference psoriasis. Full text articles are only available to subscribers. The Archives of Dermatology is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American Medical Association and focusing on information "concerning the skin, its diseases, and their treatment".

Annals of Internal Medicine: Psoriasis | Psoriatic Arthritis
These links retrieve abstracts of articles from the Annals of Internal Medicine that reference psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. The Annals of Internal Medicine is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the American College of Physicians. Full text articles are only available to subscribers.

PsoriasisTx
PsoriasisTx is an educational web site for dermatologists and dermatology nurses with a focus on the use of biologic therapies for the treatment of psoriasis. The site is supported by an educational grant from Genentech but includes freely accessible streaming media lectures and Continuing Medical Education programs on a variety of different biologic therapies.

Dermatology Image Atlas
This comprehensive resource hosted at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine can be searched by category of disease or body site using a hyperlinked image map of the human body (called a "homunculus"). It also provides a differential diagnosis tool (beta version only) that allows the user to enter a description of a rash/lesion/tumor and returns types of conditions/diseases in its database with similar features.

Atlas of Dermatology
This link retrieves documents from the Atlas of Dermatology that contain information about psoriasis, or images of psoriasis. The Atlas of Dermatology is a cooperative venture by the Department of Clinical Social Medicine at the University of Heidelberg and the Department of Dermatology at the University of Erlangen.

Dermatology in the Cinema
Skinema.com documents and discusses appearances of dermatologic issues within cinematic productions and the show-business community. Designed and managed by a dermatologist, this web site demystifies skin conditions by highlighting their commonality among people (and characters in movies) from all walks of life. Included is a special page devoted to realistic depictions of psoriasis in the cinema.

    Immunology Resources  

Understanding the Immune System [860 KB PDF]
This article contains a comprehensive (47 page) description of the immune system, It was produced by NIH and designed for lay people. Chapters include: "Self and Non-Self", "The Structure of the Immune System", "Immune Cells and Their Products", "Disorders of the Immune System", a summary and a glossary.

Journal of Immunology
This link retrieves articles and abstracts in the The Journal of Immunology (JOI) that reference psoriasis. According to the stated policy on the JOI web site, the full text of every article is freely available within 12 months of its publication. The Journal of Immunology is a peer-reviewed medical journal published by the The American Association of Immunologists.

NCI: The Immune System
This illustrated tutorial on the immune system is designed for the general public and hosted at the National Cancer Institute. The tutorial consists of a set of 35 annotated illustrations depicting different components and processes of the immune system.

Immunology Book Case
Hosted at the Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine, this site was designed as a reference for first year medical students. It features write-ups on the basics of immunology and covers several topics including: cytokines, complement, antibodies, cells of the immune system, lymphoid organs and MHC.

Immunology Toolbox
This web site provides online resources for an introductory undergraduate immunology course taught at the University of Arizona. Its features a list of abbreviations, a glossary, and tutorials on infectious disease, cytokines, antigens, complement, innate immunity, antibody, the T-cell receptor, and more.

Merck Manual: The Immune System
The full Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy for medical professionals is available online. The above-linked chapter on the Immune System includes sections on T cells and cellular immunity, B cells and humoral immunity, the complement system, and the resolution of an immune response.

Protein Reviews on the Web
This site contains "authoritative, peer-reviewed short summaries on proteins and protein families". Each summary includes information on transcription, translation, and molecular interactions. The site also contains a comprehensive guide to CD nomenclature. It has recently been moved and revised to include an expanded format that includes links to Entrez Genes entries.

DMOZ: Science: Biology: Immunology: Cytokines
This DMOZ category contains a comprehensive listing of cytokine-related online resources. Cytokines are chemical messengers that mediate the immune response. Cytokines play an important role in the evolution of psoriasis and include among their ranks Interleukins (IL-*), Tumor Necrosis Factors (TNF), and other growth factors.

Leukocyte Adhesion Cascade
A stepped up migration of activated T-Cells from the blood to the skin is believed to play a role in psoriasis. In order to pass through the blood vessel wall, a migrating T-Cell uses specific molecules on its outer surface to adhere to compatible molecules on the inner surface of the vessel wall. In order to maximize the chance that these molecules will make contact with each other, the migrating T-cell rolls along the blood vessel wall. The above web site describes and illustrates this process.

    Clinical Trial Information  

National Psoriasis Foundation Clinical Trial Resource Center
The National Psoriasis Foundation's Clinical Trial Resource Center is hosted at and provided in collaboration with CenterWatch, a commercial clinical trials listing service.

Psoriasis Research Pipeline
This chart in the Research section of the National Psoriasis Foundation web site lists drugs in development in the U.S. market for psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis. The listed drugs are in pre-clinical stages or phase I, II, III and IV studies. The compiled listings are based on public information.

ClinicalTrials.gov
This link returns a listing of current psoriasis-related clinical trials from the ClinicalTrials.gov database. ClinicalTrials.gov is a service of the National Institutes of Health that provides information for locating federally and privately supported clinical trials for a wide range of diseases and conditions.

OTIS Autoimmune Diseases in Pregnancy Project
The Organization of Teratology Information Services (OTIS) provides women and their healthcare providers with up-to-date information about the effects of medications taken during pregnancy. The above link points to a page containing information for people who are interested in inquiring about medications for psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. It also provides volunteer opportunities for clinical studies relating to the effect of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treatments on pregnancy.

EMEA Guideline for Psoriais-Related Clinical Trials [145kb PDF]
This document, titled: Guideline on Clinical Investigation of Medicinal Products Indicated For the Treatment of Psoriasis, is a product of the European Medicines Agency (EMEA), the organization that regulates medicinal drugs in the European Union. This guideline is intended to aid in the design of clinical studies of new compounds for the treatment of psoriasis. Topics covered include: criteria for the selection of study participants, efficacy measures, strategy and design of clinical trials, and safety evaluation. There is a corresponding document articulating guidelines for the clinical investigation of psoriatic arthritis [116kb PDF].

    Research Resources  

OMIM psoriasis Loci Search
This link retrieves records relevant to psoriasis from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database. OMIM is a catalog of human genes and genetic disorders ... more. There are several genetic regions suspected to be associated with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Some of these regions have been the given the names "PSORSn" (for psoriasis) and "PSORASn" (for psoriatic arthritis), where n is a number determined by the chronological order of discovery. For convenience, OMIM records relating to PSORS and PSORAS genes are listed below:

PSORS |1|2|3|4|5|6|7|9|
PSORAS |1|

Psoriasis Genetics Laboratory at UMich
The Psoriasis Genetics Laboratory at the University of Michigan has been engaged in a study to determine the genetic basis of psoriasis since 1991. Their web site contains a description of the study, and criteria for participation. It also includes research information, supplemental material for published documents, article abstracts and an article [224kb PDF] documenting the evidence for a genetic component in psoriasis.

Anne Bowcock Laboratory
This laboratory in the Human Genetics Division of the Department of Genetics, WUSTL School of Medicine, is running a project devoted to understanding the pathogenesis of psoriasis and autoimmunity. Resources on the laboratory web site include articles on linkage and association for psoriasis, gene expression in psoriasis and a mouse model for flaky skin.

Utah Psoriasis Initiative
The Utah Psoriasis Initiative is a research study and program designed to collect medical information and DNA from people with psoriasis and their families who are residents of Utah. Researchers anticipate that the extensive genealogy records maintained in Utah will allow them to "link" families together and study the inheritance of psoriasis as it passes from one family branch to another. This information will be used to identify genes that cause different levels of risk for psoriasis, and to discover new psoriasis treatment pathways.

Rockefeller Lab for Investigative Dermatology
This research group studies the molecular pathways of psoriasis through a combination of clinical research studies using immune-modulating therapies and large scale gene expression studies. Their web site provides general details about the group's research endeavors, and presents new information about the roles of T-Cell, dendritic cell and keratinocyte activation in psoriasis.

CRISP Federal Research Database
The acronym "CRISP" stands for "Computer Retrieval of Scientific Projects". This site provides a searchable database of federally funded biomedical research projects maintained at the National Institutes of Health. Visit the CRISP query form, type "psoriasis" into the "Search Terms" text box, click on the "Submit Query" button, and view a hyperlinked list of federally-funded biomedical research projects related to psoriasis.

See also: Psoriasis Foundation Research Overview

    Bioinformatics Resources 

Entrez Life Sciences Search Engine
The Entrez search engine is hosted at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, (NCBI), a division of the National Institutes of Health. The above link retrieves a hyperlinked report showing the number of document hits relevant to psoriasis for all of the databases spanned by Entrez. You may want to explore the links within these search results or search the individual Entrez-accessible databases described below.

Entrez Pubmed: Psoriasis Search
This link retrieves medical journal articles that reference psoriasis from the Entrez Pubmed database. The PubMed database contains references to millions of articles published in thousands of peer-reviewed journals in the life sciences and biomedicine. Search results are displayed as links to references. A reference often points to an article abstract (i.e. summary), the full article being available at the publisher's web site for a fee. Pre-compiled Pubmed searches relevant to psoriasis are listed in the Literature Searches page of the Psoriasis Online Toolbox.

Entrez Gene : Psoriasis Search
This link retrieves records that reference psoriasis from the Entrez Gene database. Entrez Gene is NCBI's database for gene-specific information. Entrez Gene focuses on genomes "that have been completely sequenced, that have an active research community to contribute gene-specific information, or that are scheduled for intense sequence analysis".

Entrez Protein: Psoriasis Search
This link retrieves records of profiles that reference psoriasis from the Entrez Protein database. Proteins are the major building blocks of all living cells. Genes are sequences of DNA that contain "coded" instructions for the construction of proteins. The Protein database contains protein sequence data constructed from the translated coding regions of DNA sequences.

Entrez GEO: Psoriasis Search
This link retrieves records that reference psoriasis from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. GEO is a "high-throughput gene expression / molecular abundance data repository, as well as a curated, online resource for gene expression data browsing, query and retrieval." Genes contain codes for the production of proteins. An "expressed" gene is an active gene - one whose code is currently being used to produce a corresponding protein. Not all genes are active all of the time. When a gene is active, messenger RNA is carrying the gene's code to ribosomes, cellular factories where proteins are assembled. A gene's activity can be inferred by the number of messenger RNA detected carrying the translated DNA sequence of the gene. If a gene is found to be abnormally active in tissue affected by a disease, then researchers might deduce that the the protein the gene encodes plays a role in that disease.

Other Bioinformatics Research Resources
In addition to the Entrez search engine (see above) there are several comprehensive bioinformatics resources that contain a wealth of information. Just a few of them are:

• Worldwide Protein Data Bank - a repository for the processing and distribution of 3-D biological macromolecular structure data.
• UCSC Genome Bioinformatics - a site that contains the reference sequence and working draft assemblies for a large collection of genomes and provides a portal to the ENCODE (Encyclopedia of DNA Elements) project.
• Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics - home to the ExPASy proteomics server, SwissProt, TrEMBL and several other databases.
• European Bioinformatics Institute - a center for research and services in bioinformatics, the Institute also manages databases of biological data and tools for analyzing such data.

    BioScience Learning Resources  

NCBI Biomedical Bookshelf
The Bookshelf is a growing collection of biomedical books on the National Center for Biotechnology Information web site. Books can be searched directly or browsed by chapter. Many current textbooks are accessible in full text format within this impressive collection.

Biomed Central
Biomed Central is home to over 100 "open-access" journals, "covering all areas of Biology and Medicine". Free registration is required to gain access to all publications.

Public Library of Science
The Public Library of Science is the home of "open access" journals in the areas of Biology, Medicine, Computational Biology, Genetics, and Pathogens.

Cell Biology Learning Topics
Cytochemistry.org provides interactive illustrative tutorials on topics in cell biology, organized by organelle system and cell dynamics. Topics include protein synthesis, membranes, RNA translation, intracell transport and sorting.

Kimball's Biology Pages
This heavily hyperlinked and comprehensive resource was organized and developed as an online biology textbook. The included material is partly drawn from the author's textbook Biology published in 1994 by Wm. C. Brown.

The Biology Project
The Biology Project is an "online interactive resource for learning biology" from the University of Arizona. It provides lessons and problem sets in the areas of biochemistry, cell biology, chemicals and human health, developmental biology, human biology, immunology, Mendelian Biology and molecular biology.

Intute Meta List (UK)
Intute (formerly BioRes) provides this searchable catalog/meta-list of "hand selected and evaluated" biomedical resources. Topic categories include biological sciences, genetics, cell biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, & biotechnology, neuroscience, microbiology & immunology, toxicology, anatomy, physiology, and research information sources.

Genetics Home Reference
The Genetics Home Reference is produced by the National Library of Medicine to provide consumers with information about genetic conditions. Although this site does not contain much information about psoriasis, it does provide basic tutorials on genetics, the inheritance of genetic conditions, genetic testing, gene therapy, and the Human Genome Project.

WWW.Genome.Gov Educational Resources
The National Human Genome Research Institute provides several useful educational resources on their web site, including a list of online genetics education resources, a talking glossary of genetics terms, and genetics education modules for teachers.

DOEGenome.org
The web site of the Genome Programs of the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science offers several useful educational resources. Features include a genetic primer, an image gallery of genomic science and technology, and the Gene Gateway, a collection of guides and tutorials for using online genetics and protein databases, and bioinformatics tools.

UVB Radiation Primer [112kb PDF]
This document on the web site of the Natural Resource Ecology Laboratory at Colorado State University describes the characteristics of UVB radiation. The use of Ultraviolet radiation type B (UVB) to treat psoriasis is called UVB phototherapy. UVB phototherapy can be administered using "broadband" UVB or "narrowband" NBUVB prescription treatment lamps.

    Alternative Treatment Resources  

PSORIASIS-SPECIFIC ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES

National Psoriasis Foundation
Sections of psoriasis.org provide information that is scientifically known about complementary approaches to treating psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis:

• Alternative approaches to psoriasis
• Diet and psoriasis
• Alcohol and cigarettes (See also this news release)
• Sun and water therapy
• Alternative approaches to psoriatic arthritis

Herbal Remedies for Psoriasis
This article from the National Psoriasis Foundation Advance is based on an interview with a professor of clinical dermatology who authored a research review on the topic of herbal supplements used by people with psoriasis. Accompanying the article is this chart listing herbal remedies along with their scientific names, their different forms, their active ingredients, any scientific evidence for efficacy, known adverse effects, and known interactions with drugs or other herbs. (Bibliographic references are provided.)

Gluten Intolerance & Psoriasis
This article from the National Psoriasis Foundation discusses the relationship between celiac disease and psoriasis. Celiac disease is caused by an intolerance to gluten, a component of wheat and other grains. It is currently estimated that approximately .75% of the U.S. population (one out of 133 people) and .2% (one out of 500 people) of the population in Europe have Celiac disease. Another 10% of the general population express antibodies to gliadin, a component of gluten that is associated with gluten intolerance. By comparison, 16% of people with psoriasis vulgaris and 20% of people with palmo-plantar pustulosis (pustular psoriasis of the hands or feet) express antibodies to gliadin. The following link points to a Pubmed search for journal articles about gluten intolerance and psoriasis.

Acupuncture and Psoriasis - A Controlled Study
This abstract summarizes a report on the only placebo-controlled study to investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture as a treatment for psoriasis. The study found no statistically significant difference between outcomes for the active and placebo study groups. (Controlled studies are required to demonstrate treatment efficacy for new drug applications.)

Meditation and Phototherapy for Psoriasis
This abstract summarizes a report on a placebo-controlled study to investigate the effectiveness of meditation as an adjunct therapy to UVB & PUVA phototherapy for psoriasis. The study found a statistically meaningful increase in the rate of clearing of psoriasis for those people using both phototherapy and meditation sessions for stress reduction compared to those people using phototherapy alone.

Turmeric/Curcuminoids and Psoriasis
The above link points to a Pubmed search for articles relating to turmeric/curcumin and psoriasis. In 1995 [1,2] curcumin (diferuloyl methane), a component of the spice and food coloring turmeric, was found to inhibit the production of Tumor Necrosis Factor (TNF) and the activation of nuclear transcription factor NF-Kappa B. NF-Kappa B regulates the transcription of inflammatory cytokines. According to one literature review published in 2003, previously conducted curcumin studies and trials in humans did not reveal any detectable toxicity. However, none of the cited studies were long term with large cohorts. A later study found that curcumin can exert pro-oxidant properties after metabolic activation. According to this chart accompanying a National Psoriasis Foundation article on herbal remedies, turmeric is contraindicated in patients with "bile duct obstruction, gallstones, intestinal disorders and contact dermatitis", and interacts with several prescription medications. As of yet, there have been no studies establishing the safety or efficacy of turmeric/curcumin as a treatment for psoriasis. In 2004 the World Health Organization allocated [1MB PDF - See page 21] an acceptable daily intake (ADI) of 0–3 mg/kg of body weight for curcumin.

NF-KB Mediating Phytochemicals [476kb PDF]
This article from the Cytokine Research Library at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center reviews research on the effects of phytochemicals derived from spices on the activation of Nuclear Transcription Factor Kappa-B (NF-KB). The activation of NF-KB has been linked to several inflammatory diseases, including psoriasis.

Three strikes: Kikui Nut Oil, Noni Juice, and Coral Calcium
1. A 2005 double-blind placebo-controlled study conducted at the University of Hawaii found Kikui Nut Oil to be no more effective than placebo when used to treat psoriasis.
2. Noni Juice is an aggressively marketed product that has not been shown to be effective as a treatment for any disease. Noni juice should be avoided by people with kidney disease due to its high potassium content, and has generated case reports of hepatoxicity from ingestion.
3. An article in the U.C. Berkeley Wellness letter documents how coral calcium is no different than ordinary calcium carbonate. The authors of a study cited by marketers of coral calcium debunk the marketing claims in this online article and note how purchasing the product contributes to the ongoing depletion and destruction of age-old Okinawan coral reef ecosystems. Also see Andrew Weil's comments on coral calcium.

Also See: Consumer Resources

GENERAL ALTERNATIVE RESOURCES

PBS Frontline: The Alternative Fix
This web site from the Public Broadcasting Service is an online companion to a one hour Frontline documentary with the same name. It provides a comprehensive and balanced look at how alternative/complementary treatments are sold and regulated in the United States.

NIH Dietary Supplement Fact Sheets
This index, published by the Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health, provides links to approximately forty fact sheets on selected dietary supplements. Reviewed supplements include anti-oxidants, co-enzymes, omega fatty acids, and selected herbs, minerals, and vitamins.

NIH CARDS Database
Computer Access to Research on Dietary Supplements (CARDS) is a database of federally funded research projects relating to dietary supplements. You can search the database by dietary supplement, principal investigator, biological effects, type of study, location, keywords in the abstract and other search criteria.

NIH IBIDS Database
The International Bibliographic Information on Dietary Supplements (IBIDS) database provides access to bibliographic citations and abstracts from "published, international, and scientific literature on dietary supplements."

NCCAM
The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM) is an institute at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) whose focus is the study of complementary and alternative "healing" practices. Resources on the NCCAM web site include health information, research resources, clinical information, news and press releases.

WHO Selected Medicinal Plant Monographs - Volume 1 [2.25Mb PDF] | Volume 2 [2.5Mb PDF]
The World Health Organization (WHO) publishes three volumes of monographs on medicinal plants. Two of the three volumes (covering 58 of the 89 monographs) are freely available online in PDF format. Each monograph includes a description of a medicinal plant, its nomenclature, geographical distribution, tested purity (including pesticide, heavy metal, and radioactive residues), medicinal uses, chemical assays, chemical constituents, pharmacology, contraindications, warnings, and precautions.

Bandolier Journal
Bandolier is an independent journal about evidence-based healthcare, written by Oxford scientists. The section linked above is "intended to gather the best evidence available about complementary and alternative therapies (CAT) for sufferers and professionals".

Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
The Southwest School of Botanical Medicine has made available online versions of several herbal publications and databases including books, photographs, illustrations, maps, abstracts, constituents, monographs, papers and folios. The web site also includes a Master Index that integrates all of these resources.

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter
The UC Berkeley Wellness Letter is a publication of the School of Public Health of the University of California at Berkeley. It focuses on all health issues including conventional medicine, exercise, dietary regimens and supplements.

CFSAN Dietary Supplement Information
The Center for Food Safety & Applied Nutrition, a division of the FDA, publishes this comprehensive web site on dietary supplements. The site includes an Overview and FAQ, and Tips for Supplement Users. CFSAN also independently maintains the searchable online FDA Poisonous Plant Database.

Homeopathy
The doctrine of homeopathy was formulated in the late 18th century by its founder, Samuel Hahnemann. One principal of homeopathy (called the "Law of Similars") is that "like cures like". A second principal (called the "Law of Infintesimals) is that the greater the dilution of a homeopathic remedy, the greater its effectiveness. The above link points to a well written article from The Skeptic's Dictionary reviewing the history and validity of the principals and practice of homeopathy. Other resources worth reviewing include the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine's Questions and Answers about Homeopathy, and the Homeowatch web site.

    Consumer Information

Note: Online consumer resources are essential given the many unsubstantiated health claims that are made over the Internet. Marketing material is often used as evidence of efficacy for unproven products despite the absence of peer reviewed studies, or the existence of peer reviewed studies that provide evidence to the contrary.

FDA CDER Consumer Education
This consumer hub from the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research provides links to resources that focus on "what you should know about buying and using drug products". Topics covered include: "Buying Medicine and Medical Products over the Internet", "Buying Medicine from Outside the United States", "Counterfeit Medicine", "Ensuring Safe Use of Medicine", "Generic Drugs", "Over the Counter Medicine", and "Consumer Education from other Government Sources".

FDA Preventing Health Fraud
The FDA's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition (CFSAN) publishes this guide to help consumers guard against Health Fraud. (See also the CSFAN Dietary Supplement Information link in the Alternative Treatment Resources category within this page.)

FDA Commissioner: Buying Medical Products Online
These tips and warnings for consumers are provided by the Office of the Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The focus of this page is to help consumers discern between legitimate drug dispensing web sites and those that are operating illegally or in a manner that puts the privacy of online customers at risk. Also provided is a complaint form to report unlawful sales of medical products on the Internet.

FTC Consumer Protection
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provides this consumer information resource on Diet, Health and Fitness. Resources include articles on generic drugs, diet and fitness, "miracle" health claims, Internet scams and more. Also available is an online form for filing complaints.

The Psoriasis Hall of Pshame
This essential debunking tool lists and describes some of the many psoriasis-related products that are deceptively promoted over the Internet. It also provides clarification of FDA rules that apply to over the counter products and dietary supplements sold as treatments for psoriasis.

Dave's Psoriasis Info
Dave provides very detailed reviews of web sites used to promote and sell psoriasis-related products and services over the Internet. Note: this site is no longer being updated.

Quack Watch
Whether a regimen offered as a treatment is or isn't "quackish" is often a subject of debate, but this online resource provides plenty of information for you to make up your own mind.

Snopes.com
Snopes is one of the oldest "urban legend" sites on the Web, debunking many stories, but also confirming those that turn out to be true or partly true. It's well worth checking out if you want to verify a health related claim.

E-Help: Using the Internet to Your Advantage
This worksheet was the accompanying handout for an Internet workshop offered at the 2004 National Psoriasis Foundation National Conference. It's focus is on assessing the reliability of online information.

    Government Information Hubs  

Health.Gov
Health.gov is a government health portal for the general public developed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). This page provides links to "multi-agency health initiatives" and other activities of HHS and other Federal agencies.

National Library of Medicine
The National Library of Medicine (NLM) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the worlds largest medical library. NLM maintains a number of online health science related resources and databases including the Entrez search engine and MedlinePlus.

National Institutes of Health
A division of the U.S. Department of Human Health and Services (HHS) , the National Institutes of Health (NIH) is the medical research agency of the U.S. Government. NIH is composed of 27 Institutes and Centers, including the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disorders (NIAMS).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is tasked with preventing and controlling infectious and chronic diseases, injuries, workplace hazards, disabilities, and environmental health threats. The CDC web site provides information on health and safety topics, CDC publications, data and statistics, and conferences and events. For more information, see the CDC A-Z Topic Index.

U.S. Food and Drug Administration
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates food, drugs, medical devices, biologic derivatives, cosmetics, radiation-emitting products and even animal feed and drugs. The FDA web site contains resources relevant to all of its enforcement responsibilities. For more information, see the FDA Site Index and the Index of Databases that are available on the FDA web site.

United States Census Bureau
The U.S. Census Bureau is tasked with collecting data about the people and economy of the United States. Census Bureau data (including health-related data) is now available online using the resources and software housed on the Bureau's Data Web.

Federal Trade Commission
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) of the United States regulates competition in the market place. It enforces federal antitrust laws and federal consumer protection laws that prevent fraud, deception and unfair business practices. The FTC web site contains several consumer resources. For more information, see the FTC Site Map.

U.S. Patent & Trademark Office
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) web site provides searchable databases of patents, published patent applications, and trademarks. These are valuable tools for researching a company or a product for which patent protection is claimed.

World Health Organization
The World Health Organization (WHO) is the United Nations specialized agency for Health. The WHO web site contains documents on a variety of health topics including an online library database (WHOLIS), and a guide to statistical information (WHOSIS).

European Medicines Agency
The European Medicines Agency (EMEA) is the decentralized regulatory agency of the European Union responsible for the evaluation and supervision of medicinal products. The EMEA web site contains monographs of all authorized medicinal products in the European Union, a site map, and a search engine.

    General Investigative Tools  

DNS Stuff Network Too