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. 2025 Aug;93(2):553-556.
doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2025.01.029. Epub 2025 Jan 21.

A call to action: The need to update population descriptors in dermatology research studies with the use of an inclusive skin classification system

Affiliations

A call to action: The need to update population descriptors in dermatology research studies with the use of an inclusive skin classification system

Valerie M Harvey et al. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2025 Aug.
No abstract available

Keywords: Fitzpatrick; diversity; ethnicity; race; skin classification.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest Dr Harvey serves as a consultant for AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Janssen, Johnson & Johnson, and L’Oréal, receiving honoraria; and serves as an advisory board member for SkinCeuticals, receiving honoraria. Dr Byrd is the inaugural recipient of the Skin of Color Society Career Development Award, as well as the Society for Investigative Dermatology Freinkel Diversity Fellowship Award, and a recipient of the Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Career Development Award (Winn CDA) funded by Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMSF); serves as a consultant for Senté, Inc. and Sonoma Biotherapeutics; and serves as an advisory board member for Novartis, receiving honoraria. Dr Heath is a consultant for Arcutis, Apogee, Avita, Dermavant, Lilly, Janssen, Johnson and Johnson, Kenvue, Pfizer, Regeneron, Sanofi, L'Oreal, Nutrafol, and WebMD. Investigator/Research/Research Development Funding paid to institution: Eli Lilly and Company, CorEvitas, Janssen, Robert A. Winn Diversity in Clinical Trials Award Program established by the Bristol Meyers Squibb Foundation, and recipient of a Skin of Color Society Career Development Award. Dr Jaleel serves as a principal investigator for UCB; receives research fellow support from Pfizer Inc, via the Skin of Color Grant, and from UCB, and serves as a consultant for Eli Lilly, Novartis, and UCB, receiving honoraria. Dr McMichael has received research grants from Concert, Procter & Gamble, Incyte, Revian; serves as a consultant to Lilly, Janssen, Pfizer, Arcutis, Almirall, AbbVie, CeraVe, Galderma, Bristol Myers Squibb, Sanofi Regeneron, Sun Pharma, UCB, Procter & Gamble, Revian, Johnson & Johnson, L’Oréal, Leo, receiving honoraria; and has received royalties from Informa/Taylor and Francis, and McGraw Hill. Dr Miller-Monthrope serves as an advisory board member for AbbVie, Bristol Myers Squibb, Boehringer Ingelheim, Fresenius Kabi, Incyte Corporation, Janssen, L’Oréal, Sanofi, Sun Pharma, Novartis, and UCB, receiving honoraria; and serves as a consultant for AbbVie, L’Oréal, and Galderma Laboratories, L.P., receiving honoraria. Dr Takeshita serves as a consultant for Incyte Corporation, receiving honoraria; and receives research grants from Pfizer Inc, and Bristol Myers Squibb (paid to the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania). Dr Taylor is a past employee of Mercer Strategies and was on the board of directors; serves as a consultant to Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc, Beiersdorf, Inc, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cara Therapeutics, Dior, and Sanofi, receiving honoraria; serves as a consultant to Armis Biopharma, GloGetter, and Piction Health, receiving stock options; serves as an advisory board member for AbbVie, Avita Medical, Beiersdorf, Inc, Biorez, Inc., Eli Lilly, EPI Health, Evolus, Inc., Galderma Laboratories, L.P., Hugel America, Inc, Incyte, Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products Company, L’Oréal USA, Medscape/WebMD, Pfizer, Scientis US, UCB, and Vichy Laboratories, receiving honoraria; serves as a speaker for Beiersdorf, Inc, Catalyst Medical Education LLC, LearnSkin, Medscape/WebMD, and MJH LifeSciences; has received royalties from McGraw Hill; is an investigator for Allergan Aesthetics, Concert Pharmaceuticals/Sun Pharma, Croma-Pharma GmbH, Eli Lilly, and Pfizer, receiving grants and research funding; and serves on the editorial board for Practical Dermatology, Cutis, and Archives in Dermatologic Research, and as a peer-reviewer for British Journal of Dermatology. Dr Weiss serves as an advisory board member for Bristol Myers Squibb, Dermavant Sciences, Foamix, Galderma Laboratories, L.P., Incyte Corporation, Novartis, and UCB receiving honoraria; serves as a consultant for Arcutis, Inc, Biofrontera, Cutera, Inc, Leo Pharma Inc, Ortho Dermatologics, and UCB, receiving fees or honoraria; is an investigator for AbbVie, Bausch Health, Biofrontera, Bristol Myers Squibb, Cutera, Inc, Dermavant Sciences, Foamix, Galderma Laboratories, L.P., Leo Pharma, Mindera, Moberg Pharma North America LLC, Novartis, Palvella Therapeutics, and Verrica Pharmaceuticals Inc, receiving grants and research funding; and serves as a speaker for AbbVie, Arcutis, Inc, Galderma Laboratories, L.P., Ortho Dermatologics, Regeneron, and Sanofi Genzyme, receiving honoraria. Dr Callender serves as a researcher for Avava, Galderma, I Know Skincare, Janssen, Prollenium, Skinbetter Science, Symatese, and Teoxane; serves as a researcher/consultant for AbbVie/Allergan, Incyte, L’Oréal Aesthetics, and Pfizer; serves as a consultant for Acne Store, Aerolase, Avita Medical, Beiersdorf, Cutera, Dermavant, Juenes Aesthetics, Orthoderm, and SkinCeuticals; serves as a consultant/speaker for Arcutis; serves as a researcher/consultant/speaker for Eli Lilly; and has received royalties from UpToDate. Drs Brown, Burgess, Cobb, Desai, Sundaram, and Yoo have no conflicts of interest to declare.

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