TLDR A standard protocol for alopecia areata clinical trials was created to improve consistency and encourage more research.
In 2015, the National Alopecia Areata Foundation developed standardized protocols for clinical trials in alopecia areata (AA) to ensure consistency in trial design, including inclusion/exclusion criteria, safety, and outcome assessments. The aim was to facilitate data comparison across studies and encourage more clinical trials and treatment comparisons, given the lack of FDA-approved therapies for AA at the time. The protocols included a core protocol for pharmaceutical companies testing new treatments, with elements such as informed consent, disease outcome assessments, safety assessments, and a statistical significance level of 0.05. These protocols were approved in concept by Liberty IRB and were prepared for presentation to pharmaceutical companies.
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April 2012 in “The New England Journal of Medicine” Alopecia Areata is an autoimmune condition causing hair loss with no cure and treatments that often don't work well.
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June 2011 in “Journal of The American Academy of Dermatology” 5% minoxidil foam once daily works as well as 2% minoxidil solution twice daily for female hair growth and is more convenient.
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May 2011 in “Dermatologic therapy” Guidelines help design better trials to compare alopecia areata treatments.
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July 2018 in “Elsevier eBooks” Many treatments for hair loss show potential, but more testing is needed to confirm their effectiveness. Only minoxidil for women and minoxidil and finasteride for men are FDA approved.
December 2025 in “IP Indian Journal of Clinical and Experimental Dermatology” Androgenetic alopecia treatments are becoming more personalized and include new therapies like topical antiandrogens and regenerative strategies.
March 2026 in “The American Journal of Managed Care” JAK inhibitors can help treat alopecia areata but have risks and high costs.
January 2018 in “Springer eBooks” PDE inhibitors, especially PDE4 inhibitors like apremilast, are effective for certain inflammatory skin conditions but have side effects and can be costly.
January 2026 in “Dermatologic Therapy” Botulinum Toxin Type A can increase hair density and improve hair thickness in androgenetic alopecia with minimal side effects.
