Co-developed with Johnson & Johnson

Taking the Next ‘Step’ in Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Disease: Evaluating Stepwise Care in Canadian Dermatology

They start with a single step, but patient journeys should not feel like a thousand miles. Our symposium will pull from recent surveys, studies, and advocacy efforts to explore patient perceptions and unmet needs in the treatment of their immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Recent Canadian consensus statements will further inform treatment strategies in those who have yet to start advanced systemic therapy. Discussions by our expert panel will help integrate these perspectives into practice and shared decision-making to strengthen our partnerships with patients. We look forward to seeing you there!

Faculty

Gurbir Dhadwal, MD, FRCPC (Vancouver, BC)
Andrei Metelitsa, MD, FRCPC, DABD (Calgary, AB)
Kerri Purdy, MD, FRCPC (Halifax, NS)
Antonella Scali, CEO – Psoriasis Canada (Toronto, ON)

Learning Objectives

At the end of this symposium, participants will be able to:

1. Describe patient preferences for oral versus injectable therapies in psoriasis and discuss strategies to incorporate shared decision-making between dermatologists and patients to optimize treatment outcomes.
2. Integrate Canadian consensus statements on treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis prior to advanced systemic therapy into practice to improve patient care.
3. Identify and discuss key unmet needs in psoriasis care from the patient and caregiver perspective, and explore how these findings can inform clinical decision-making and patient-centered treatment strategies.

Co-developed with Novartis Canada

VIP Premiere: Behind the Scenes of CSU Care

Join a multidisciplinary panel of experts, including dermatologists and allergist, for a high-impact symposium addressing the persistent challenges of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in Canadian practice.

Faculty will examine the burden of CSU, persisting unmet needs, and limitations of current therapies. They will then explore the therapeutic rationale for recently approved and emerging targeted agents, including Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitors, connecting these novel mechanisms of action to evolving efficacy and safety data from key clinical trials.

The program will also preview upcoming international CSU guideline updates, helping participants optimize treatment sequencing, personalize care, and confidently integrate new options into everyday Canadian practice.

Faculty

Anne Ellis, MD, MSc, FRCP(C), FAAAAI (Kingston, ON)
Elena Netchiporouk, MD, M.Sc., FRCPC (Montréal, QC)
Maxwell Sauder, MD, FRCPC, FAAD, FCDA (Toronto, ON)

Learning Objectives

At the end of this symposium, participants will be able to:

1. Evaluate the burden of chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) in Canada, highlighting unmet needs, treatment gaps, and limitations of current therapies.
2. Explain the pathogenesis of CSU and the therapeutic rationale for emerging targeted agents, linking mechanism of action to efficacy and safety.
3. Integrate international CSU guideline updates (anticipated 2026) with emerging clinical trial data to optimize treatment sequencing and positioning of new therapies in Canadian practice.

Co-developed with AbbVie Corporation

When Patients Say ‘No’: Overcoming Reluctance to Advance Treatment

Despite therapeutic advances in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, patient and parent reluctance to advance treatment has emerged as the greatest barrier to improving outcomes. Canadian practice-assessment and survey data confirm that fears, normalization of ongoing symptoms and misinformation or false reassurances from social media (e.g., TikTok, Instagram) or AI tools such as ChatGPT (perceived by many patients as a trusted health authority) are delaying timely access to advanced systemic therapy. In this powerful “truth-telling” symposium, an expert panel unpacks the most common patient-driven barriers to treatment escalation, from risk misperceptions to fear of lifelong commitment. Through  patient narratives and candid discussions, faculty will share practical communication strategies that move patients from hesitation to action and drive meaningful improvements in disease outcomes and quality of life.

Faculty

Marissa Joseph, MD, MScCH, FRCPC (ped), FRCPC (dermatology) (Toronto, ON)
Perla Lansang, MD, FRCPC (Toronto, ON)
Vimal Prajapati, MD, FRCPC, DABD (Calgary, AB)

Learning Objectives

At the end of this symposium, participants will be able to:

1. Identify the most common drivers of patient and caregiver hesitancy to advancing therapy in atopic dermatitis and psoriasis.
2. Recognize the impact of misinformation and false reassurance from AI-based sources on patient treatment decision-making.
3. Apply practical, real-world communication strategies and scripts to address treatment reluctance and facilitate timely initiation of advanced systemic therapy.

Co-developed with La Roche Posay; L’Oreal Dermatological Beauty Canada

Shaping Canadian Photoprotection: A Multi-Disciplinary Deep Dive into Regulatory Science, Formulation Innovation, and Clinical Practice

This symposium offers a critical and multi-disciplinary evaluation of photoprotection in Canada. We will examine the current regulatory landscape, contrasting the Canadian monograph with global advancements in sunscreen technology and their implications for product availability and innovation. A cosmetic chemist will unveil the scientific rationale behind advanced formulations and novel filter technologies crucial for enhanced UVA protection and photostability. Expert dermatologists will then synthesize these insights, providing practical, evidence-based strategies for optimal sunscreen selection and patient counseling. This session empowers CDA members with a comprehensive understanding of photoprotection from regulatory, scientific, and clinical perspectives, enabling them to confidently guide Canadians towards superior sun safety outcomes.

Faculty

Jennifer Beecker, MD, FRCPC, CCFP(EM), DABD (Ottawa, ON)
Joël Claveau, MD, FRCPC, DABD (Québec City, QC)
Julian Sass, PhD (Montréal, QC)

Learning Objectives

At the end of this symposium, participants will be able to:

1. Evaluate the scientific rationale behind advanced sunscreen formulations, including novel filter technologies and their contribution to enhanced photoprotection efficacy and photostability.
2. Discuss the current Canadian regulatory landscape for sunscreens, contrasting its monograph with global technological advancements and their implications for product availability and innovation.
3. Implement evidence-based strategies for patient counseling and sunscreen selection, integrating regulatory, scientific, and consumer insights for comprehensive photoprotection in Canadian clinical practice.