Guest: Dr. James Song

Remember when PASI 75 was the gold medal? Today, it barely makes the podium. In this episode of the JDD Podcast, host Dr. Adam Friedman welcomes Dr. James Song for a conversation that explores how the definition of “success” in dermatology has undergone a remarkable transformation. Like smartphones, social media, or your favorite coffee order, our expectations have evolved, and fortunately, so have our therapies. What was once considered exceptional efficacy is now often viewed as the starting line. Using psoriasis as the blueprint and hidradenitis suppurativa as the next frontier, Dr. Song unpacks how we progressed from celebrating PASI 75 to routinely discussing PASI 90 and PASI 100, and why that evolution represents far more than a numbers game. Together, they examine whether current clinical trial endpoints truly capture what patients value most, how higher efficacy benchmarks translate into meaningful improvements in quality of life, and why statistical significance doesn’t always equal clinical significance. Importantly, Drs. Friedman and Song tackle an important question: Are we finally measuring what matters, or have we simply become better at measuring what has always mattered?

Whether you’re interpreting the latest trial data, counseling patients about treatment expectations, or simply trying to keep pace with a rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape, this episode offers a practical framework for understanding where dermatology has been, where it’s headed, and why yesterday’s outcome MVP may be today’s bench warmer.