Renowned Dermatologist Dr Koushik Lahiri Honoured by Royal College of Physicians for Work on Steroid Abuse
Kolkata: Renowned dermatologist Dr. Koushik Lahiri from Kolkata has been honoured with the prestigious Excellence in Patient Care Award 2025 by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), London. The recognition recognises his longstanding efforts to highlight the misuse of topical steroid-based creams and the harmful condition known as topical steroid-damaged face.
Dr. Lahiri and his group form the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists Task Force against Topical Steroid Abuse (ITATSA). He is a part of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists, and Leprologists (IADVL). “Our initiative was selected among the top three teams in the world, and this recognition is a matter of pride—not just for us as a team, but also for IADVL as a whole,” Dr. Lahiri stated.
The recognition states, “This award recognizes projects that have measurably improved patient safety, acknowledging efforts to foster a culture of learning, openness, amid ongoing pressure and changes.”
Dr. Lahiri received the award during a ceremony hosted in Liverpool on July 10, where he represented the organisation. The accolade specifically acknowledges his extensive work in raising awareness around the abuse of steroid-laced fairness and antifungal creams — a public health issue that has plagued India for years.
Sharing the snippets of the program on social media, he further added, “Our crusade was prominently mentioned in the Keynote Discussion, and it was especially humbling to receive personal words of appreciation from RCP President Dr. Mumtaj Patel and Clinical Vice President Dr. John Dean. This honour strengthens our collective resolve to carry forward our mission with renewed clarity and commitment. However, awards and accolades will come and go, but work remains. Let these recognitions make us more humble, more empathetic, and more resolute and committed to the cause, committed to the world around us and committed to excellence and as we continue this voyage called life, may these moments of recognition serve as reminders to refine, reinvest, and rededicate ourselves in everything we do.”
Dr. Lahiri completed his MBBS from Burdwan Medical College, and he specialized in dermatology from IPGMER and SSKM Hospital. He also acted as the general secretary of the Indian Association of Dermatologists, Venereologists and Leprologists and the president of the Association of Cutaneous Surgeons of India. He is the Medical Director and Senior Consultant at Wizderm - Speciality Skin and Hair Clinic. He is currently serving as the Professor at Apollo Multispeciality Hospitals.
