Anecdote Increases Patient Willingness to Take a Biologic Medication for Psoriasis.

Patients often are apprehensive about starting biologic medications for their psoriasis. Typical fears include anxiety regarding possible side effects and reluctance in accepting their proven efficacy. In this study, we aimed to evaluate patients' willingness to take a biologic medication for their psoriasis if presented with clinical trial evidence, an anecdote, or both. A prospective online survey study was performed in 222 patients with psoriasis. Patients were randomized to receive clinical trial evidence of a biologic medication's efficacy and safety, an anecdote of a single patient's positive experience, or both. Responses were recorded on a 10-point Likert scale and evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Dunn test. Results indicated that presenting an anecdote-alone or in combination with clinical trial evidence-may be an effective way to improve patients' willingness to take a biologic medication for psoriasis.