What counts as a topical treatment, and how do the six options differ?
Six cream, ointment, or gel options exist for psoriasis: topical steroids, vitamin D analogues, tazarotene, calcineurin inhibitors, roflumilast, and tapinarof. All six are applied directly to a plaque rather than working through the whole body. Topical steroids calm inflammation and slow skin-cell growth right where you apply them. Vitamin D analogues slow the same overproduction through a different pathway, and are often paired with a steroid. Tazarotene is a retinoid, related to vitamin A, that also slows skin-cell growth. Calcineurin inhibitors were built for eczema, not psoriasis, so using them here is off-label. They work by blocking an immune-activation step, and do not thin the skin the way a steroid can. Roflumilast and tapinarof are newer, steroid-free medicines built and approved specifically for psoriasis, each through its own distinct pathway. Each one has its own full page with complete label detail. Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence
Why this matters
- Sources cited, not yet graded
AAD and National Psoriasis Foundation patient education describe each mechanism individually, as cited on each drug’s own page. The FDA labels for roflumilast and tapinarof state each is approved specifically for plaque psoriasis. The calcineurin-inhibitor labels state each is approved only for eczema.
Considerations
- Depends on you
None of these sources ranks the six options against each other. None predicts which one would work best for a given reader’s plaques.
Questions for your dermatologist
Given my psoriasis pattern and where it shows up, which of these six would you consider first?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Why a topical option instead of phototherapy or a systemic medicine at this point?
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Where can each one be used, and can they be combined?
Body site matters most for topical steroids: thin-skinned areas like the face need a milder product, while thicker plaques can tolerate a stronger one. Vitamin D analogues and tazarotene are both commonly paired with a steroid, which can boost results and cut steroid-related side effects. Calcineurin inhibitors are used specifically on the face, skin folds, and genitals, since they will not thin that delicate skin the way a steroid can. Roflumilast is FDA-approved for use anywhere on the body, including skin folds, a site it was specifically tested on. Tapinarof carries no stated site restriction at all, including the face, and no limit on how long you can use it continuously. Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence
Why this matters
- Sources cited, not yet graded
Each drug’s own current label or AAD/NPF patient education states its combination and site guidance as summarized above, as detailed on each drug’s own page.
Considerations
- Depends on you
None of these sources maps every body site to a specific product for a specific reader. Whether to combine two of these, or which fits a given area, is a call your dermatologist makes.
Questions for your dermatologist
Where on my body is each option meant to be used, and where should I avoid it?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Would combining two of these make sense for me?
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How often do you apply each one, and how long until you know if it is working?
All six are applied once or twice a day. Check-in windows differ: three to six weeks for steroids, about two weeks for vitamin D analogues, and six weeks for calcineurin inhibitors. The two newer drugs report structured trial results. Roflumilast reached 8-week trial checkpoints, and tapinarof reached 12-week checkpoints with a median 114 days of clear skin afterward for people who fully cleared. Tazarotene often reddens plaques before they start to clear, which can look like a flare rather than the early reaction it usually is. Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence
Why this matters
- Sources cited, not yet graded
Each drug’s own current label or AAD/NPF patient education states its dosing frequency and timeline, as detailed on each drug’s own page.
Considerations
- Depends on you
These are label schedules and trial timelines, not a prediction of how quickly any one reader would respond.
Questions for your dermatologist
Given the timeline for each option, when would we know if it is working for me?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Is redness after starting expected, or something to call about?
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What are the side effects, and which carry a boxed warning?
Local irritation - burning, stinging, or itching - is common across most of these six. Steroids can thin skin with overuse, and stopping abruptly can cause a rebound flare. Vitamin D analogues carry a rare hypercalcemia risk: too much calcium in the blood. Tazarotene raises sun sensitivity and must not be used during pregnancy. Calcineurin inhibitors carry an FDA boxed warning about rare lymphoma and skin-cancer reports with continuous long-term use. AAD notes dermatologists have not seen that risk reflected in everyday practice. Roflumilast and tapinarof carry no boxed warning. Roflumilast’s most common trial effects were diarrhea and headache. Tapinarof’s most common trial effect was folliculitis, inflamed hair follicles, in 20% of trial participants. Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence
Why this matters
- Sources cited, not yet graded
Each drug’s own current label states its side effects and whether it carries a boxed warning, as detailed on each drug’s own page.
Considerations
- Depends on you
None of these labels states how a specific reader’s own health history changes their personal risk level.
Questions for your dermatologist
Given how I react to medicines generally, does that rule any of these out?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.Which warning on this list worries you most for someone with my history?
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What does each one cost?
Cost splits along old-versus-new lines. Topical steroids are typically inexpensive generics, with coupon prices for common products running roughly $10 to $40 a tube. Calcineurin inhibitors are also available as generics. Vitamin D analogues and tazarotene have generic versions too, though a live price snapshot could not be captured for either this session. Roflumilast and tapinarof are newer, with no generic version yet; both cost thousands for a tube at cash price. Both manufacturers run a savings card that can bring the cost to as little as $0 for commercially insured patients. Both explicitly exclude anyone on a government-funded plan, and both separately offer a patient-assistance program for people who are uninsured. Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence Evidence
Why this matters
- Sources cited, not yet graded
GoodRx snapshots and each manufacturer’s own savings-program page state the prices and terms cited above, as detailed on each drug’s own page.
Considerations
- Depends on you
These are commercial price-comparison and manufacturer-program snapshots for one product each, not a survey of every pharmacy, plan, or eligibility outcome.
Questions for your dermatologist
Does my insurance cover the option you are suggesting, and would I qualify for a savings program?
Saving keeps this on your device and needs JavaScript, which is off in this browser.If cost is a barrier, does that change which of these six you would recommend?
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What do other people say about choosing among them?
SteadySkin does not yet have a documented community pattern comparing these six options against each other. No first-hand account from Ajith exists for any of them. Rather than guess, I say so honestly. Each drug’s own page says the same about that specific medicine. Evidence
Why this matters
- Sources cited, not yet graded
What is documented instead, from the sources above: how the six differ in mechanism, site guidance, and cost.
Considerations
- Depends on you
Without a documented pattern or first-hand account, this does not describe what choosing between these options feels like day to day.
Questions for your dermatologist
Of the patients you have treated, what made them settle on one of these over another?
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What is worth tracking while you decide or start one of these?
Before starting, track which check-in window applies to the option your dermatologist is suggesting. That ranges from about two weeks (vitamin D analogues) to twelve weeks (tapinarof). Keep a dated record of which product and which areas you are treating. Add a same-conditions photo each time - same light, same distance, same angle. That gives you and your dermatologist something concrete to compare against your starting point. Evidence
Why this matters
- Sources cited, not yet graded
A dated dose log and photo record are what let the check-in timelines described on each drug’s own page actually answer whether a treatment is working.
Considerations
- Depends on you
A dose log and photo do not replace the skin, sun-sensitivity, or infection monitoring each option’s own label calls for. They cannot by themselves catch a problem early.
Questions for your dermatologist
What should I track between now and my first check-in, whichever option we choose?
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Applicability check
Who was studied?
These fields show what the cited evidence reports about the people and body sites behind outcome or safety claims. “Not reported” means the reviewed source omitted the field; “Pending exact source review” means SteadySkin has not made that determination yet.
Local irritation - burning, stinging, or itching - is common across most of these six. Steroids can thin skin with overuse, and stopping abruptly can cause a rebound flare. Vitamin D analogues carry a rare hypercalcemia risk: too much calcium in the blood. Tazarotene raises sun sensitivity and must not be used during pregnancy. Calcineurin inhibitors carry an FDA boxed warning about rare lymphoma and skin-cancer reports with continuous long-term use. AAD notes dermatologists have not seen that risk reflected in everyday practice. Roflumilast and tapinarof carry no boxed warning. Roflumilast’s most common trial effects were diarrhea and headache. Tapinarof’s most common trial effect was folliculitis, inflamed hair follicles, in 20% of trial participants.
- Age range
- Not reported
- Condition subtype
- Not reported
- Severity or extent
- Not reported
- Sample size
- Not reported
- Geography and care setting
- The sources are six separate current US drug labels or AAD/NPF patient-education pages: topical steroids, vitamin D analogues, tazarotene, calcineurin inhibitors, roflumilast, tapinarof. Each reports its own side effects. None compares all six drugs in one study.
- Skin tone or phototype
- Not reported
- Race
- Not reported
- Ethnicity
- Not reported
- Body sites
- Not reported
What that means for this page: Each source covers only its own drug or drug class. None ranks the six side by side. None says which warning matters most for one reader.
Evidence behind this page
Sources
Each evidence badge opens the source and its limits. The full list stays available here.
- GoodRxPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: GoodRx is a commercial pharmacy-price and coupon marketplace; displayed prices can vary by prescription, pharmacy, location, and time.
What this source supports
Supports only one input to the dated generic topical-corticosteroid cost band.
What it does not support
It does not establish another corticosteroid product’s price, coverage, coupon eligibility, or a personal price.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- GoodRxPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: GoodRx is a commercial pharmacy-price and coupon marketplace; displayed prices can vary by prescription, pharmacy, location, and time.
What this source supports
Supports only one input to the dated generic topical-corticosteroid cost band.
What it does not support
It does not establish another corticosteroid product’s price, coverage, coupon eligibility, or a personal price.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
Protopic (tacrolimus) ointment: US prescribing information and Medication Guide (opens in a new tab)
DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent efficacy evidence.
What this source supports
It establishes the US atopic-dermatitis indication, boxed warning, local effects, long-term-use precaution, and ultraviolet instructions for this product. Its mechanism-of-action section supports that tacrolimus binds FKBP-12 to block calcineurin phosphatase, preventing the T-cell activation that its boxed warning and local-effect data describe. Its local-adverse-reaction data supports burning in roughly 46-58% and itching in roughly 41-46% of studied patients, most often in the first few days and easing as treatment continues. Its Dosage and Administration section supports applying a thin layer twice daily and re-examining the patient if signs and symptoms do not improve within six weeks.
What it does not support
It does not approve tacrolimus for vitiligo or psoriasis, establish efficacy for either, or resolve off-label guideline discussion of supervised combinations. Its dosing and six-week re-examination window are stated for its approved atopic-dermatitis indication, not as a vitiligo-specific schedule.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent efficacy evidence.
What this source supports
Supports the US atopic-dermatitis indication, boxed warning, application-site effects, long-term-use precaution and instructions to avoid ultraviolet treatment and minimize natural or artificial sunlight. This label itself is a generic pimecrolimus cream filing (packager Oceanside Pharmaceuticals, a division of Bausch Health US, LLC), not the original brand Elidel label, so it also supports that a generic pimecrolimus cream is currently marketed. Its Dosage and Administration section supports applying a thin layer twice daily and re-examining the patient if signs and symptoms persist beyond six weeks; its boxed warning separately supports that continuous long-term use should be avoided. Its adult 1-year active-comparator adverse-reaction table (328 pimecrolimus-treated subjects) supports application-site burning in about 25.9%, headache in about 25.4%, nasopharyngitis in about 7.6%, and influenza in about 9.8% of that adult trial population.
What it does not support
It does not approve pimecrolimus for vitiligo or psoriasis, establish efficacy for either, or resolve off-label guideline discussion of supervised combinations. Its dosing and six-week re-examination window, and its adult adverse-reaction percentages, are stated for its approved atopic-dermatitis indication and trial population, not as a vitiligo-specific schedule or vitiligo-trial safety rate.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- American Academy of DermatologyPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports that topical corticosteroids reduce redness, swelling, scaling and itch, and slow skin-cell growth. They come in strengths from very mild to extremely strong and are typically applied twice daily. Strong products on thin skin such as the face carry skin-thinning, spider-vein and stretch-mark risk. Most people see results with short twice-daily use, and no improvement after four to six weeks is a signal to return to the prescriber.
What it does not support
The page does not display its own separate revision date; the date recorded here matches the same AAD psoriasis treatment section’s dated overview page checked the same day. It does not name potency classes by number, give a percentage of people who improve, or set a maximum course length.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- National Psoriasis FoundationPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The organization provides patient education, but its editorial and funding independence for this page was not independently reviewed.
What this source supports
Supports that topical steroids range from super-potent to least potent, and that guidance advises not using one for longer than three weeks without checking with a clinician. Side effects include skin thinning, pigment change, easy bruising, stretch marks, redness and dilated blood vessels. Systemic absorption is a risk with widespread, prolonged or occluded use, and abruptly stopping a topical steroid can cause a psoriasis flare.
What it does not support
It does not name which specific product falls in which potency class, quantify how often a side effect occurs, or set a course length for any specific product or body site.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- American Academy of DermatologyPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports that synthetic vitamin D (vitamin D analogues) slows rapidly growing skin cells, flattens thick psoriasis, and removes scale, and can treat nail and scalp psoriasis specifically. Most people apply it twice a day and notice improvement within about two weeks. It can be safely combined with a strong corticosteroid. The combination tends to work better than either alone and can reduce the side effects that come with using a strong steroid, which allows longer-term use. Common side effects are irritated skin, burning, itching, swelling, peeling, dryness, and redness, which typically resolve with continued use. A more serious but low-risk side effect is hypercalcemia, which can weaken bones, cause kidney stones, or affect the heart and brain.
What it does not support
The page does not display its own separate revision date; the date recorded here matches the same AAD psoriasis treatment section’s dated overview page checked the same day. It does not name a specific percentage of people who improve, quantify how often hypercalcemia occurs, or set a maximum course length.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- National Psoriasis FoundationPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independence not established
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The organization provides patient education, but its editorial and funding independence for this page was not independently reviewed.
What this source supports
Supports that Dovonex (calcipotriene), a synthetic vitamin D3, slows skin cell growth, flattens plaques, and removes scale, and treats scalp and nail psoriasis. Supports that Vectical (calcitriol), the naturally occurring active form of vitamin D3, helps control excessive skin cell production and cannot be applied to the face, lips, or eyes. Supports that Taclonex combines calcipotriene with a steroid. Calcipotriene side effects listed: skin irritation, stinging, burning, dry skin, peeling, rash, dermatitis, and worsening of psoriasis. Calcitriol side effects: excessive calcium in urine is common. An extremely uncommon side effect is a change in calcium metabolism limits, which should stop treatment until calcium normalizes. Increased skin tumor risk from light sensitivity is also noted. Supports that Tazorac (tazarotene), a vitamin A derivative topical retinoid, slows skin cell growth. It is normal for psoriasis plaques to become very red, often intensely so but generally not painful, before clearing when using tazarotene. Tazarotene side effects include skin irritation, dry skin, and increased sun sensitivity; sunscreen and protective clothing are recommended during use.
What it does not support
It does not give an application frequency for calcitriol, name a percentage of people who improve, or publish pricing. It does not mention combining tazarotene with a steroid or include a pregnancy warning for tazarotene on this page.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- American Academy of DermatologyPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports that tazarotene, a topical retinoid (synthetic vitamin A), slows rapidly growing skin cells, reduces thick psoriasis, decreases scale, and lessens redness and swelling. Often prescribed alongside a topical corticosteroid, which reduces skin irritation and produces longer-lasting results and a longer remission than tazarotene alone. Applied once daily as a thin layer. A few patients see complete clearing; most see about a 50% reduction, with remission lasting up to three months. Common side effects are irritation (redness, peeling, dryness, itching, burning) and increased sun sensitivity. Must not be used during pregnancy because it can cause birth defects. On nail psoriasis, can reduce nail thickness, treat crumbling nails, and help restore normal nail growth.
What it does not support
The page does not display its own separate revision date; the date recorded here matches the same AAD psoriasis treatment section’s dated overview page checked the same day. It does not name an exact percentage-of-patients figure beyond "most," quantify how often a side effect occurs, or state a fixed number of weeks before a check-in.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent psoriasis evidence.
What this source supports
Supports that TAZORAC cream 0.05% and 0.1% are indicated for topical treatment of plaque psoriasis (0.1% also for acne vulgaris). Supports the dosing: a thin layer once daily in the evening, starting at 0.05% with an increase to 0.1% only if tolerated and indicated. Supports the pregnancy contraindication - may cause fetal harm - and the requirement for a negative pregnancy test within two weeks before starting and effective contraception during use. Supports local skin reaction warnings (itching, burning, redness, peeling) and the instruction to avoid eyes, mouth, and mucous membranes and not to use on eczema-affected skin. Supports the photosensitivity warning to avoid sun, sunlamps, and weather extremes and wear sunscreen.
What it does not support
The label does not mention a generic version of TAZORAC cream, quantify how often a given side effect occurs, or state a retail price.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- American Academy of DermatologyPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports that tacrolimus ointment and pimecrolimus cream are FDA approved to treat atopic dermatitis (eczema), not psoriasis, so dermatologists prescribe either for psoriasis off-label. Supports use on plaque psoriasis on the face and other delicate areas including the genitals, and on inverse psoriasis (armpits, under the breasts, groin, or face). Supports that most people apply either medicine twice a day, and that no improvement after six weeks is a signal to check back with a dermatologist. Supports that the FDA warns of a possible increased risk of lymphoma or skin cancer, while noting dermatologists have not observed this increased risk in day-to-day practice.
What it does not support
The page does not display its own separate revision date; the date recorded here matches the same AAD psoriasis treatment section’s dated overview page checked the same day. It does not explain the calcineurin mechanism of action, name a percentage of people who improve, or state a retail price.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company (Arcutis Biotherapeutics) submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent psoriasis evidence.
What this source supports
Supports that ZORYVE cream 0.3% is FDA approved for topical treatment of plaque psoriasis, including intertriginous areas, in patients 2 years of age and older. Supports the mechanism (a phosphodiesterase-4, PDE4, inhibitor, working by inhibiting PDE4 enzyme activity and letting cyclic AMP build up inside cells, while stating the exact therapeutic mechanism remains incompletely understood). Supports the dosing (apply once daily to affected areas and rub in completely; topical use only, not for eye, mouth, or intravaginal use; wash hands after applying). Supports the most common adverse reactions reported in at least 1% of psoriasis trial participants: diarrhea (3.1%), headache (2.4%), insomnia (1.4%), nausea (1.2%), and application site pain (1.0%). Supports the contraindication in moderate to severe liver impairment (Child-Pugh B or C) and the drug-interaction caution with strong CYP3A4/CYP1A2 inhibitors.
What it does not support
The label does not carry a boxed warning, does not quantify how often any side effect leads someone to stop treatment, and does not state a retail price.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- American Academy of DermatologyPatient education · Patient education, tier 5Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports that roflumilast (Zoryve) cream is FDA approved for patients with plaque psoriasis, applied once a day as instructed. Supports that in the studies that led to approval it worked quickly to reduce itch and clear psoriasis. Supports that a roflumilast foam version treats scalp and body psoriasis, applied once daily. Supports the patient-facing side-effect list for the cream: diarrhea, headache, and feeling sick to your stomach (nausea). Supports, for tapinarof (VTAMA) cream, that it is prescribed for adults with mild, moderate, or severe psoriasis and can be applied anywhere on the body, including the face. Supports that about 40% of patients were clear or almost clear after 12 weeks of using it, and that patients who stopped after clearing stayed clear for an average of 12 weeks. Supports that the most common side effect is a skin reaction.
What it does not support
The page does not name an exact response percentage, a specific check-in timeline, or a retail price for roflumilast. For tapinarof, the page does not name folliculitis specifically, break down its "skin reaction" side effect by exact rate, or state a retail price.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health (CADTH)Systematic review · Clinical research, tier 2Independent source
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
What this source supports
Supports the DERMIS-1 and DERMIS-2 phase 3 trial results at week 8: IGA success (clear or almost clear) in 42.4% (108 of 286) of the roflumilast group versus 6.1% (8 of 153) on vehicle in DERMIS-1, and 37.5% (99 of 290) versus 6.9% (9 of 152) in DERMIS-2. Supports PASI 75 (at least 75% clearer) in 41.6% versus 7.6% in DERMIS-1, and 39.0% versus 5.3% in DERMIS-2, both statistically significant.
What it does not support
This is a Canadian government health-technology-assessment review of the same pivotal trials the FDA reviewed, not a US regulatory document. It does not report results for any group narrower than the trial population as a whole (ages 12 and older), and it does not predict an individual result.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Arcutis BiotherapeuticsManufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The medicine manufacturer publishes its own savings-card terms and has a direct commercial interest in product access.
What this source supports
Supports that patients with commercial drug insurance may pay as little as $0 per prescription fill, up to a program savings limit. Supports that the offer is explicitly not valid for patients without commercial drug insurance, and not valid for anyone enrolled in a government healthcare program (Medicare, Medicaid, TRICARE, or other federal/state programs). Supports that the offer is subject to change or discontinuation without notice and is limited to the United States and Puerto Rico.
What it does not support
Does not state a retail list price or what an uninsured or government-insured patient would pay without the separate patient-assistance program.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- Arcutis BiotherapeuticsManufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The medicine manufacturer publishes its own patient-assistance program terms and has a direct commercial interest in product access.
What this source supports
Supports that Arcutis Cares provides Arcutis medicine, including ZORYVE, at no cost to patients who are uninsured or government-insured (Medicare or Medicaid) and cannot afford their copay. Eligibility also requires living in and being treated in the United States. Supports the income limit, based on 300% of the Federal Poverty Level: about $47,880 or less for one person, scaling up by household size. Supports that commercially insured patients are not eligible for this program and are directed to the separate ZORYVE Direct savings card instead.
What it does not support
Does not state a fixed coverage duration beyond "the benefit year" of enrollment, and does not guarantee approval for a given applicant.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- DailyMed, U.S. National Library of MedicineRegulatory · Regulatory / guideline, tier 1Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The National Library of Medicine hosts DailyMed. The product company (Organon, formerly Dermavant Sciences) submits the label to FDA, so it is authoritative for product labeling but not independent psoriasis evidence.
What this source supports
Supports that VTAMA cream 1% is FDA approved for topical treatment of plaque psoriasis in adults, with no stated site or duration restriction, and is not for oral, ophthalmic, or intravaginal use. Supports the mechanism (an aryl hydrocarbon receptor, AhR, agonist), while stating the specific mechanisms by which VTAMA cream exerts its therapeutic actions in plaque psoriasis are unknown. Supports the dosing (apply a thin layer to affected areas once daily; wash hands after application unless treating the hands). Supports the PSOARING 1 and PSOARING 2 phase 3 trial results at week 12, defined as PGA success: a score of clear or almost clear with at least a 2-grade improvement from baseline. That was reached by 36% (n=340) of the tapinarof group versus 6% (n=170) on vehicle in PSOARING 1, and 40% (n=343) versus 6% (n=172) in PSOARING 2. Supports the remittive-effect finding: among the 73 trial responders who achieved complete clearance and had treatment withdrawn, the median time to first worsening (PGA of 2 or higher) was 114 days. Supports the most common adverse reactions in the combined psoriasis trials (683 on tapinarof, 342 on vehicle): folliculitis (20% vs 1%), nasopharyngitis (11% vs 9%), contact dermatitis (7% vs 1%), headache (4% vs 1%), itching (3% vs 1%), and influenza (2% vs 1%). Supports that the label lists no contraindications and carries no boxed warning.
What it does not support
The label does not approve tapinarof for psoriasis in anyone under 18, does not quantify how often any side effect leads someone to stop treatment, and does not state a retail price. Its pediatric approval is for a different condition (atopic dermatitis), not psoriasis.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- OrganonManufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The medicine manufacturer publishes its own savings-card terms and has a direct commercial interest in product access.
What this source supports
Supports that patients with commercial drug insurance may pay as little as $0 per prescription fill, up to $35, for up to a 90-day supply. Supports that the offer is explicitly invalid for patients whose prescription claims are eligible to be reimbursed, in whole or in part, by any governmental program (Medicare, Medicaid, or similar). Supports that the offer is limited to residents of the United States, its territories, and Puerto Rico.
What it does not support
Does not state a retail list price or what an uninsured or government-insured patient would pay without the separate patient-assistance program.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.
- OrganonManufacturer document · Manufacturer, tier 4Relevant relationship disclosed
- Published
- SteadySkin last checked
What this source can and cannot tell you
Why the independence label says this: The medicine manufacturer publishes its own patient-assistance program terms and has a direct commercial interest in product access.
What this source supports
Supports that the program provides Organon medicine, including VTAMA, at no cost to patients who have no insurance or other coverage for a prescription medicine and cannot afford to pay for it. Supports the income limit: household income that does not exceed 250% of the Federal Poverty Level. Supports the US-residency and US-licensed-prescriber requirements, and that a single approved application can provide up to a year of product free of charge, with reapplication allowed.
What it does not support
Does not cover patients who have any insurance or government coverage for the medicine, and does not guarantee approval for a given applicant.
Claim-specific review for this source is still in progress. Only the source-level evidence and limits are shown here.