• Activists call on health authorities to better address lupus as they raise awareness on World Lupus Day
• The condition is an autoimmune disease that occurs when a patient's immune system attacks healthy cells
• The Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) estimates that there are more than five million worldwide who are affected by the disease

Lupus activists are calling on health authorities to address the autoimmune disease better as they raise awareness on World Lupus Day.

The autoimmune disease occurs when a person's immune system attacks the body's healthy cells, which results in pain, fever, rashes, organ damage, and several other symptoms. An estimate made by the Lupus Foundation of America (LFA) puts more than five million people living with the condition.

World Lupus Day

The disease affects every individual differently, making it even more difficult for health experts to treat it and even harder to diagnose. In a statement, the interim CEO of the LFA, Mary Crimmings, said that research has shown that it could take about six years to diagnose lupus from the moment a person starts experiencing its symptoms, as per CNN.

The delays in diagnosis can result in devastating consequences for patients afflicted with the autoimmune disease. Currently, there is no cure for lupus, and researchers, advocates, and patients are working together to improve healthcare services and research into the disease.

Health authorities can manage the autoimmune disease once identified inside a patient. However, treatment for the condition is still relatively challenging. In the last seven decades, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has only approved three therapies that were specifically made for lupus.

Many patients are taking chemotherapy and anti-malarial medications off-label to control symptoms, often experiencing serious side effects. The development of drugs to address lupus is delayed compared to other therapies due to the unique complexity and variation of the autoimmune disease.

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Understanding the Autoimmune Disease

The most common type of lupus is systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) which can affect any organ inside a person's body. According to Politico, patients who suffer from the disease experience rashes, hair loss, joint pain, and chronic fatigue.

One patient, Jeanette Andersen, has been battling lupus symptoms for several years and was only diagnosed with the disease while on her honeymoon. She said that the finding forced her to reassess her career aspirations. She was also forced to give up her dream of a Ph.D. placement.

Andersen opted to take a different route in life, trying to understand the disease and building a better future in lupus care for others who are suffering like her. She joined meetings of the Danish Lupus Association and worked on studying the latest research into the disease.

Another concerning factor with lupus is its increasing incidence, which is also true for many autoimmune diseases. Many experts are convinced that increased awareness and diagnosis brought this about. However, some see the possibility of an increase in incidence, said Medical & Life Sciences News.

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