As a registered nurse and Chair of the National Action Network Health Committee, I work every day to promote equity in health care, and to ensure that everyone has access to the treatments they need, regardless of the color of their skin or their zip code. That commitment is at the heart of NAN's mission, and it extends to patients living with conditions that have too often been overlooked by our healthcare system, including diseases like vitiligo.
Vitiligo is a chronic autoimmune disease impacting roughly 200,000 New Yorkers, in which the body's own immune system destroys the pigment-producing cells responsible for skin color. It leaves patients with spreading white patches that can cover the face, hands, and body.
Because vitiligo is driven by immune system dysfunction, patients face a significantly elevated risk of developing other serious conditions. Among the most concerning is thyroid disease, which can become life-threatening without proper treatment.
Beyond its physical toll, vitiligo carries a profound social burden. Patients routinely face discrimination and stigma because of the visible nature of their condition. That prejudice follows them into every corner of their lives, from personal relationships to professional opportunities. Studies have shown that a significant number of employers are unwilling to hire individuals with vitiligo out of fear of losing potential clients, effectively shutting patients out of career advancement and economic opportunity.
There are several vitiligo treatments available that help patients manage their condition. Lotions, creams, light treatments, and even surgeries have only limited the impact of vitiligo. Recently, medical professionals welcomed the arrival of an FDA-approved treatment, which has shown significant pigmentation regeneration and could be a game changer in the lives of vitiligo patients.
Yet despite the availability of new treatments, vitiligo patients continue to face significant barriers to accessing the care that could transform their lives. Some private and public healthcare coverage plans have spurned the idea of covering proven vitiligo treatments, stemming from the long-held belief that this is a cosmetic condition.
This could not be further from the truth. The National Institutes of Health, the American Academy of Dermatology, and other medical organizations have explicitly stated that vitiligo is a real disease that requires treatment. Every day we allow this outdated perception to persist is another day patients are denied the treatments they need and deserve.
New York State must recognize vitiligo for what it truly is: a serious autoimmune disease with real and lasting consequences for patients and communities across our state. That means supporting healthcare providers, educating policymakers, and ensuring that patients are never denied access to the treatments they need because of an outdated and uninformed perception of their disease. At National Action Network, the fight for one standard of justice has always included one standard of care, and we will keep pressing until every patient in every community gets it.
This commentary by NAN Buffalo Niagara Health Committee Chair Katrinna Martin Bordeaux first appeared in Challenger Community News. Read the original →