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2 clusters · 4 sources · 12 days · First seen · Last updated

Chronic disease diagnostic challenges in Poland

Overview

Reports indicate significant diagnostic delays and treatment limitations for chronic diseases in Poland.

Patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a severe inflammatory skin condition, face substantial delays in diagnosis and restricted access to biological treatments. While an estimated 300,000 to 400,000 people in Poland suffer from HS, National Health Fund data from 2025 shows only 3,200 diagnosed patients, suggesting many remain undiagnosed. This delay is particularly critical as the disease can progress to irreversible scarring and fistulas.

Similarly, research by the ‘To Się Leczy’ Foundation highlights delays in diagnosing Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Approximately 60 percent of surveyed patients waited over a year for a diagnosis, with one in three facing delays between four and 14 years. Although COPD affects roughly 2 million people in Poland, over 35 percent remain undiagnosed, and biological therapies for severe cases currently lack reimbursement coverage.

Entities

National Health Fund · Ministry of Health · To Się Leczy Foundation · Polish Dermatological Society · Polish Society of Lung Diseases

Timeline

  1. 6 days ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Poland faces significant delays in COPD diagnosis

    A study shows significant diagnostic delays for COPD in Poland, with one-third of patients waiting up to 14 years for a diagnosis, leaving many cases undetected.

  2. 17 days ago

    [HEALTH] 2 sources
    Hidradenitis suppurativa patients face severe diagnostic delays in Poland

    In Poland, hundreds of thousands suffer from hidradenitis suppurativa, yet severe diagnostic delays and limited access to biological treatments leave most patients without adequate care.

Sources

dziennik.pl · newseria.pl · portalsamorzadowy.pl · zdrowie.co.pl