Dermatology Clinical Effectiveness Research Network (DCERN)
DCERN was formed in 2009 under the leadership of Joel M. Gelfand, MD, MSCE at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine through a grant from the National Institute for Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). The establishment of DCERN addressed a major research barrier in the dermatology field by creating an infrastructure of multi-disciplinary collaborative groups to conduct robust comparative effectiveness studies. Initial DCERN efforts focused on a series of cross-sectional studies in large and diverse patient populations evaluating the effectiveness of biological therapies for moderate to severe psoriasis that patients received during routine dermatologic care. These studies provided essential data and set the stage for planning large, longitudinal comparative effectiveness studies for skin diseases.
DCERN has grown into a wide-reaching partnership of dermatology practices across the United States whose mission is to perform scientifically rigorous and ethically sound clinical research that yields information critical to advancing the card of dermatological disorders. DCERN currently plans and conducts comparative studies to help physicians make informed treatment decisions and improve the quality of care for patients with moderate to severe psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, and acne. DCERN has conducted studies at over 50 sites across the United States, collecting data on nearly 3000 patients and is funded by grants from NIH, PCORI, the National Psoriasis Foundation, and investigator initiated grants from industry.
Current Projects
Past Projects
Over 50 sites across the country within DCERN have collaboratively enrolled nearly 3000 participants!
