Condition

Vitiligo

Skin condition causing loss of pigmentation in patches

28.5M
People Affected
25
Active Trials
1.3M
New Cases/Year

Treatment Rankings

Ranked by evidence volume first. Medicine has spent centuries ranking things by vibes. This is an improvement.

1
Ruxolitinib Cream (Opzelura)
75% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 60% Safety• 1 trials• 1.2K participants
HIGH EvidenceModerate ValueDose: Apply thin layer twice daily to affected areas up to 20% BSA
Find Trials

Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
60
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

3-6 months

Duration

Lifetime

Response Rate

40%

Remission Rate

10%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

4

Common Side Effects:

Acne: 20%
Application site pruritus: 10%
Nasopharyngitis: 5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$23,000

Monitoring

$300

Side Effects

$100

Total Annual

$23,400

Cost-Effectiveness

MODERATE

QALYs Gained

0.25

ICER

$119,726/QALY

Cost per Remission

$234,000

Cost per Responder

$58,500

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Facial Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (F-VASI)5.0 units (0-18 scale)
-70% (-3.5 units)
Total Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (T-VASI)10.0 units (0-100 scale)
-50% (-5.0 units)
Vitiligo Noticeability Scale (VNS)7/10 points (0-10 scale)
-40% (-2.8 points)
Secondary Benefits
Vitiligo Quality of Life Index (VitiQoL)25 points (0-30 scale)
-30% (-7.5 points)
Physician Global Assessment of Vitiligo (PGA-V)3/5 points (0=clearance, 5=worse)
-33% (-1 point)
Body Surface Area (BSA) affected by vitiligo10% of BSA
-45% (-4.5% of BSA)
Common Side Effects
Acne
+20%
Application site pruritus
+10%
Nasopharyngitis
+5%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 3Phase 4
2
Narrowband UVB Phototherapy
70% Effectiveness• 95% Confidence• 70% Safety• 12 trials• 20K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 2-3 sessions per week, gradually increasing dose from 200-300 mJ/cm²
Find Trials

Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
70
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

2-3 months

Duration

6-24 months

Response Rate

60%

Remission Rate

25%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

5

Common Side Effects:

Erythema: 60%
Pruritus: 25%
Dryness: 20%
Increased skin cancer risk (long-term): 1%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$0

Monitoring

$300

Side Effects

$100

Total Annual

$8,000

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.2

ICER

$40,000/QALY

Cost per Remission

$32,000

Cost per Responder

$13,333.33

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Repigmentation of Vitiligo Lesions0% (prior to treatment)
+55% (+55% repigmentation of affected areas)
Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI)VASI score: 12
-40% (-4.8 points)
Affected Body Surface Area (BSA)8% BSA
-35% (-2.8% BSA)
Secondary Benefits
Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)DLQI score: 14
-40% (-5.6 points)
Vitiligo Impact Scale (VIS-22)VIS-22 score: 65
-30% (-19.5 points)
Patient Satisfaction with AppearanceSatisfaction Scale: 3/10 (highly dissatisfied)
+100% (+3 points)
Common Side Effects
Erythema
+60%
Pruritus
+25%
Dryness
+20%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
3
Excimer Laser/Light (308 nm)
68% Effectiveness• 85% Confidence• 70% Safety• 6 trials• 5K participants
MODERATE EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: 1-2 sessions per week, gradually increasing dose from 100-200 mJ/cm²
Find Trials

Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
70
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 months

Duration

6-12 months

Response Rate

70%

Remission Rate

30%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

4

Common Side Effects:

Erythema: 50%
Blistering: 5%
Hyperpigmentation (transient): 10%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$0

Monitoring

$300

Side Effects

$100

Total Annual

$7,500

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.2

ICER

$37,500/QALY

Cost per Remission

$25,000

Cost per Responder

$10,714.29

Treatment Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Repigmentation within treated lesions0% repigmentation
+50% (+50% repigmentation)
Vitiligo Area Scoring Index (VASI) scoreVASI score: 8.0/100
-37.5% (-3.0 VASI points)
Physician Global Assessment (PGA) scorePGA score: 3/5 (moderate vitiligo)
-33.3% (-1 point (from moderate to mild))
Secondary Benefits
Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI)DLQI score: 12/30 (very large effect)
-41.7% (-5 DLQI points)
Patient Satisfaction with Appearance (VAS scale)VAS score: 40/100
+37.5% (+15 points)
Psychological Distress Score (HADS-Depression subscale)HADS-D score: 10/21 (borderline clinical depression)
-30% (-3 points)
Common Side Effects
Erythema
+50%
Blistering
+5%
Hyperpigmentation (transient)
+10%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
4
Systemic Corticosteroid Pulse Therapy (e.g., Dexamethasone)
65% Effectiveness• 75% Confidence• 35% Safety• 30 trials• 2K participants
MODERATE EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: Dexamethasone 2.5-5 mg on 2 consecutive days per week
Find Trials

Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
35
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

1-2 months

Duration

3-6 months

Response Rate

60%

Remission Rate

5%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

3

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

8

Common Side Effects:

Weight gain: 50%
Insomnia: 40%
Mood changes: 30%
Hypertension: 20%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$100

Monitoring

$400

Side Effects

$200

Total Annual

$700

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.08

ICER

$8,750/QALY

Cost per Remission

$14,000

Cost per Responder

$1,166.67

Treatment Outcomes
Efficacy Outcomes
Overall Effectiveness
+65%
Response Rate
+60%
Remission Rate
+5%
Common Side Effects
Weight gain
+50%
Insomnia
+40%
Mood changes
+30%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
5
Topical Corticosteroids (e.g., Clobetasol Propionate)
55% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 35% Safety• 200 trials• 10K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: Apply thin film once or twice daily for 2-3 months, then 2-3 times per week
Find Trials

Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
35
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

3-6 months

Duration

3-6 months continuous, then intermittent

Response Rate

45%

Remission Rate

8%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

7

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

8

Common Side Effects:

Skin atrophy: 15%
Telangiectasias: 8%
Acne: 5%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$150

Monitoring

$200

Side Effects

$100

Total Annual

$450

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.1

ICER

$4,500/QALY

Cost per Remission

$5,625

Cost per Responder

$1,000

Treatment Outcomes
Efficacy Outcomes
Overall Effectiveness
+55%
Response Rate
+45%
Remission Rate
+8%
Common Side Effects
Skin atrophy
+15%
Telangiectasias
+8%
Acne
+5%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4
6
Topical Calcineurin Inhibitors (e.g., Tacrolimus Ointment)
50% Effectiveness• 90% Confidence• 35% Safety• 70 trials• 4K participants
HIGH EvidenceExcellent ValueDose: Apply thin film once or twice daily
Find Trials

Comparative Safety Scale(Higher is safer)

Cyanide☠️
Meth💀
Cigarettes🚬
Chemo☢️
Alcohol🍺
Morphine💊
Antibiotics💉
Tylenol💊
Exercise🏃
Water💧
35
DangerousModerateSafe

Time to Effect

4-6 months

Duration

6-12 months or longer

Response Rate

40%

Remission Rate

7%

Number Needed to Treat (NNT)

9

Number Needed to Harm (NNH)

4

Common Side Effects:

Application site burning: 30%
Application site pruritus: 15%
Erythema: 10%

Annual Cost of Care

Drug Cost

$600

Monitoring

$200

Side Effects

$100

Total Annual

$900

Cost-Effectiveness

EXCELLENT

QALYs Gained

0.08

ICER

$11,250/QALY

Cost per Remission

$12,857.14

Cost per Responder

$2,250

Treatment Outcomes
Efficacy Outcomes
Overall Effectiveness
+50%
Response Rate
+40%
Remission Rate
+7%
Common Side Effects
Application site burning
+30%
Application site pruritus
+15%
Erythema
+10%

Clinical Trial Phases:

Phase 4