The Psoriasis Association of Malaysia (PAM) welcomes the recent article on CodeBlue highlighting the proposal by the Ministry of Health (MOH) to seek RM29 million in additional funding to expand access to biologic therapies for dermatology patients.
For Malaysians living with severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, this proposal represents an important step towards addressing a long-standing treatment gap in the public health care system.
A Serious And Often Debilitating Disease
Psoriasis is often misunderstood as merely a skin condition. In reality, it is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory disease that can affect multiple organs and significantly impair quality of life.
In severe cases, patients may develop psoriatic arthritis, leading to permanent joint damage and disability.
According to data cited in the CodeBlue article, the Malaysian Psoriasis Registry recorded nearly 34,000 patients between 2007 and 2024, with the majority aged between 20 and 69 — the most economically productive years of life.
Biologics: Transformational Therapy For Severe Disease
While most patients respond to conventional treatments such as topical therapies, phototherapy, and systemic medications, a small but significant group experience severe disease that cannot be adequately controlled with standard therapies.
For these patients, biologic medicines — which target specific immune pathways — have transformed treatment outcomes worldwide.
However, access in Malaysia remains extremely limited due to funding constraints. It is estimated that only about 4.4 per cent of eligible public sector patients currently receive biologic therapy, far below levels seen in regional health systems such as Singapore, Hong Kong, and South Korea.
The cost of biologic treatment, typically ranging from RM23,000 to RM50,000 per patient annually, places it beyond the reach of most patients without public support. Yet, the economic case for expanding access is compelling.
Investing Early Saves Health Care Costs Later
From a health-economics perspective, biologic therapy should be viewed not merely as a cost, but as an investment in long-term disease control.
When severe psoriasis remains untreated or poorly controlled, patients frequently require repeated hospital visits, prolonged use of multiple medications, and treatment for complications.
Over time, the disease can lead to disability, reduced workforce participation, and significant economic losses.
Health-economic modelling suggests that earlier access to biologics could generate direct medical cost offsets of RM25,000 to RM45,000 per patient over five to ten years, primarily through reduced hospitalisations and avoidance of costly complications.
When productivity gains and reduced disability are considered, the broader economic benefits may reach RM45,000 to RM85,000 per patient.
Patient Voices Highlight The Human Impact
Beyond the numbers, the human impact is profound. Through its patient support network, the PAM has witnessed how delayed access to effective treatment affects patients’ lives.
One patient, a human resources professional diagnosed with psoriasis as a child, developed severe psoriatic arthritis in her thirties.
During a major flare, she was bedridden for nearly a year and lost mobility in several fingers, making routine tasks such as typing difficult. Earlier access to biologic therapy might have prevented much of this irreversible damage.
Another patient described keeping a small vacuum cleaner beside her office desk to clear skin flakes that accumulated during the workday.
During one meeting, colleagues quietly moved their chairs away, mistakenly believing her condition was contagious. The emotional strain eventually led her to leave her job.
A third patient, an educator who runs a learning centre for children with learning disabilities, spent years dependent on crutches due to severe psoriatic arthritis. After finally gaining access to biologic therapy, he regained mobility and now walks more than 10,000 steps a day.
These stories illustrate how effective treatment can restore independence, dignity, and productivity.
A Forward-Looking Investment In Malaysia’s Health Care System
The MOH’s proposal also reflects responsible stewardship of public resources. The government has already implemented cost-containment strategies such as bulk procurement and pooled purchasing across ministries to secure better pricing for medicines.
In addition, the increased adoption of biosimilar medicines, which are clinically equivalent to originator biologics but typically more affordable, offers an opportunity to treat more patients within the same budget.
From the perspective of the patient community, the proposed RM29 million allocation represents a forward-looking investment that aligns clinical effectiveness with economic prudence.
Supporting this initiative would help prevent disability, improve quality of life, and enable more Malaysians to remain active members of the workforce.
A Call For Support
The PAM respectfully urges policymakers to support the MOH’s request for RM29 million to expand access to biologic therapies.
For thousands of Malaysians living with severe psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, this investment represents not just better treatment, but also the opportunity to live healthier, more productive, and more dignified lives.
- This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of CodeBlue.
