For those who may not have seen this -

Alopecia areata may soon be getting significantly greater research funding and study. As you receive this e-news today, October 25, Jan Wolf of Vienna, Virginia has just shared her alopecia areata experiences and insights at the Food and Drug Administration’s Public Meeting on Patient-Focused Drug Development. She was accompanied by Ashley Zink, 15, of Mount Airy, Maryland, as we wish to emphasize how often alopecia areata strikes children. FDA hosted this meeting at their campus in Silver Spring, Maryland to consider which conditions should be included for 20 disease-area specific efforts to enhance regulatory assessment through collaboration with the appropriate patient community. There are some 12,000 known diseases in the world and the fact that alopecia areata is among only 39 nominated for this further assessment is an achievement in itself resulting from NAAF’s incredibly successful day on Capitol Hill. NAAF is also submitting written comments with both empiric and anecdotal data emphasizing not only the physical but the psychological and social toll alopecia areata takes on those afflicted, with special emphasis on the experience of younger people. We’ll be keeping you informed on progress of this exciting opportunity for the alopecia areata community. Stay tuned for further developments as we get them!

https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2012/09/24/2012-23454/pres...