Brian S. Kim, MD: Why Primary Care Clinicians Should Prescribe New Treatments for Atopic Dermatitis

Treatments for atopic dermatitis and other skin conditions have advanced rapidly in recent years from topical steroids to biologics and JAK inhibitors, both topical and oral, said Brian S. Kim, MD, in an interview with Patient Care Online^© at the 2025 American Academy of Dermatology Conference in Orlando, FL, March 7-11.

So how should primary care clinicians approach prescribing these? Is referral to a dermatologist the only option for patients whose response to topical agents has been inadequate?

Not necessarily, said Kim. The safety profile and ease of use of these new treatments — plus the often long waits for patients to see a dermatologist — means primary care clinicians should definitely consider prescribing these treatments themselves.

Kim is vice chair of research and site chair of Morningside and Mount Sinai West, in the Kimberly and Eric J. Waldman Department of Dermatology. He is also director of the Mark Lebwohl Center for Neuroinflammation and Sensation and lead of the Allen Discovery Center for Neuroimmune Interactions at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. Kim holds joint appointments in Dermatology, the Marc and Jennifer Lipschultz Precision Immunology Institute, and the Friedman Brain Institute.

Kim is one of the top researchers worldwide in the study of patients with itch and other skin conditions. The overall goal of his research program is to understand the regulatory mechanisms that control neuroimmune interactions at the skin and other organs. His research examines how immune responses interface with the sensory nervous system to regulate inflammation, sensation, and immunity.

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