Dermatology in the new millennium.
Dermatology in the new millennium will have to focus on the demands, hopes, and satisfaction of those who look at themselves as having skin ailments. Governments may modify this by declaring some unperceived needs as important and therefore fundable and others as unimportant. Hopefully there should be equity, the women will be equal to men, and poor countries equal to the rich. The importance of skin to the individual will not diminish and hopefully will be better recognized by funding agencies. The costs of treating skin diseases will always be an issue, and the case for treating skin diseases will have to be made in the competitive world of much life threatening disease. Dermatologists may themselves opt out of treating conditions which governance deems important. An example would be all breaks in surface continuity of the skin which other professions might wish to take over as leg ulcers, the diabetic foot ulcer, the pressure sore, or burns.
Department of Dermatology, Thanovur Medical College, & Rain Mirasudar Hospital, Thanitvur-613004, India.
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Thomas