Novartis Korea Launches 'Mandueui Kkum' Campaign to Raise Awareness of Chronic Urticaria

Raising Public Awareness Through Real Patient Experiences

On October 13, Novartis Korea announced that it would launch the 'Mandueui Kkum' campaign to raise awareness of chronic urticaria, working together with patients. The campaign aims to increase public understanding of the disease based on real patient experiences and to highlight the value of patient-driven communication.

'Mandueui Kkum' Campaign Logo. Novartis Korea

Three chronic urticaria patients participated directly in the campaign. They were selected through an open recruitment process in July and took part in the entire process, from naming the campaign to creating content, thereby realizing the value of patient-centered communication. In addition, Professor Kwon Hyuksu from the Department of Allergy at Asan Medical Center in Seoul provided medical advice, enhancing the professionalism and credibility of the content.

'Mandueui Kkum' is a campaign name that uses a familiar expression to capture the earnest wish of patients hoping for improvement in their chronic urticaria symptoms. Chronic urticaria is a condition where symptoms such as wheals and angioedema persist for more than six weeks, and two out of three patients are unable to identify a clear cause. As a result, it can have a serious impact on daily life, including sleep disorders, anxiety, and depression. However, due to a lack of awareness about the disease and insufficient communication between patients and medical staff, many miss the opportunity for better treatment.

The official Instagram channel for the campaign, 'Mandueui Kkum,' was launched on October 1 to mark World Urticaria Day. Starting with a teaser video lecture by Professor Kwon Hyuksu, a total of 12 short-form content pieces will be released sequentially over three weeks beginning October 13. The first week will feature stories about being diagnosed with chronic urticaria under the theme 'My Mandu Story.' The second week will address 'Things I Had to Give Up Because of Chronic Urticaria.' The third week will introduce the importance and methods of patient-driven communication under the theme 'Itching You Can Talk About.'

While running the campaign, Novartis Korea also plans to expand outreach by collaborating with various influencers so that the honest messages of patients can reach a wider audience. In particular, the company aims to leverage the influence of social networking services (SNS) to increase public attention to chronic urticaria and to deliver messages of empathy and comfort to other patients struggling with the same condition.

Professor Kwon stated, "Urticaria is often regarded as a mild disease, but if it becomes chronic, it can have a significant impact on a patient's life due to unpredictable symptoms and the resulting psychological and economic burdens." He added, "Since chronic urticaria symptoms can be completely controlled with treatment, it is crucial for patients to understand their symptoms accurately and actively communicate with medical professionals to ensure the best possible care."

Park Jooyoung, Executive Director of the Immunology Division at Novartis Korea, said, "Because chronic urticaria is not always visible, the difficulties patients face are often overlooked, making their voices extremely important for both treatment and raising public awareness." Park added, "We hope this campaign will bring patient experiences and stories to light and serve as an opportunity to change society's perspective on the disease. Novartis Korea will continue to support patients in various ways so they can lead better lives."