National Institutes of Health Awards $4 Million Grant to Study Alopecia Areata and Atopic Dermatitis in Individuals with Down Syndrome 

Change is starting to happen. 

Despite being the largest chromosomal disability in the US, Down syndrome is the least funded per person.. but there’s now reason to be optimistic. 

The National Institutes of Health awarded a $4 million grant to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai to study the long-term safety and efficacy of medicines that treat atopic dermatitis (eczema) and alopecia areata in people with Down syndrome. 

These medications have already been approved by the FDA for treatment of eczema and alopecia for adults and adolescents, but they have not yet been studied specifically in people with Down syndrome. 

This is a significant announcement for a variety of reasons. 

Individuals with Down syndrome often experience an increased risk of developing inflammatory skin diseases like eczema and alopecia. Despite this, individuals with Down Syndrome have not been included in any medical trials of drugs used to treat these diseases. 

This points to a larger issue. Individuals with Down syndrome have been shut out and ignored from nearly every medical study, meaning medical care and treatment is seldom aimed at meeting their needs. 

Luckily, this medical grant is a step in the right direction and is beginning to give individuals with Down syndrome a seat at the table! 

Read more about the significance of this medical grant!