Beyond medication: putting patients at the centre of care
Non-pharmacological care is an important component of comprehensive management for people living with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and systemic sclerosis (SSc). New EULAR recommendations aim to provide an evidence-based framework for integrating these strategies into routine clinical care.
In a recent interview with touchIMMUNOLOGY during its coverage of EULAR 2026, Ioannis Parodis, from Karolinska Institutet, discussed the rationale behind the recommendations, how they were developed, their key messages, and the importance of adapting non-pharmacological management to the individual needs of each patient.
The recommendations were developed by a multidisciplinary EULAR task force of 25 experts, including physicians, nurses, occupational therapists, physiotherapists and patient representatives. Two systematic literature reviews — one focusing on SLE and one on SSc — informed the development of overarching principles and disease-specific recommendations.
A central message is that non-pharmacological management should be person-centred and participatory, complementing pharmacological treatment rather than replacing it when medication is required.
Among the key areas highlighted are patient education, psychosocial interventions, physical activity and smoking cessation. Disease-specific measures include photoprotection for people with SLE and strategies to reduce cold exposure and improve hand and orofacial function in people with SSc.
Personalization remains fundamental. Understanding each patient’s individual needs, priorities and circumstances can help clinicians select the most appropriate combination of pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies.
“We know from clinical practice that when we individualize pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological strategies to the patient, we achieve better outcomes.”
The interview also addresses an important next step: identifying and overcoming barriers to implementing non-pharmacological care in everyday clinical practice.
