Frequently Asked Questions

VIP recognizes individuals who have dedicated themselves to having a positive impact on people living with vitiligo. This includes caregivers, advocates, researchers, medical students, residents and healthcare providers. The program provides an opportunity to recognize vitiligo innovators for their extraordinary efforts to bring understanding, compassion and strength to the vitiligo community.

Yes. The Vitiligo Innovators Program will accept nominations in 2027.

Nominations are welcomed for:

• Healthcare professional (e.g., nurse, PA, physician, biologic coordinator) who provides extraordinary care or education for people with vitiligo.
• Promising resident, medical student, or researcher, early career physician (up to 10 years post-residency) who has significantly contributed to advancing the understanding of vitiligo or disease management.
• An advocate or non-medical individual or advocate who has made a significant positive impact in supporting or caring for people with vitiligo.

Incyte reserves the right to modify the eligibility requirements at any time.

Nominations are due October 29, 2026.

A judging panel of five patient advocates and physicians will review all eligible nominations and select one recipient per category based on specific pre-established criteria. Incyte will have no role in evaluating or selecting the recipients.

The judging panel will consider the following criteria when evaluating each award application:

• Choose only one category for nomination
• A completed nomination form must be submitted by the deadline provided
• The achievements of the individual must be relevant and recent (i.e., should have had a positive impact within the vitiligo community, must have taken place within the last 3-5 years)
• Eligible individuals include caregivers, advocates, researchers, medical students, residents and healthcare providers who have demonstrated extraordinary efforts to bring understanding, compassion and strength to the vitiligo community
• Individuals must be nominated by others
• Individuals being nominated must be aware of the nomination
• The nomination must be compliant with any institutional rules and guidelines
• Nominated individuals must reside in one or more of the 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia and or Puerto Rico

The following people are not eligible for nomination:

• Employees or agents of lncyte, or lncyte vendors
• Current program year judging panel members
• Vitiligo Innovators Program recipients of the previous cycle

Individuals may not be recognized two years in a row or for a length of time agreed upon by the judging panel.

Incyte reserves the right to change the judging criteria at any time.

The following components must be addressed for nominations to be considered complete:

• Description of the reason(s) the nominee meets the criteria, sharing specific examples/interactions and information on the nominee’s impact.
• Examples of information such as:
  • Patient or family testimony about how these efforts positively impacted people living with vitiligo
  • Ways the nominee worked to help and overcome challenges
  • Peer-reviewed journal articles or publications

There is no limit to the number of times an individual can be nominated; however, each nomination is reviewed independently. Multiple nominations do not necessarily increase the chances of selection, as each nomination is evaluated on its own merits.

Once the judging panel has made its final decision, all nominators/nominees will be informed of the status of their nomination by December 2026.

Incyte will announce the 2026 recipients in June 2027.

Yes. The Vitiligo Innovators Program does not require applications to be written in English.

Recognition details:

• Up to three individual recipients (one per category) will be recognized.
• Recipients in each category will receive a physical award recognizing their dedication to individual care.
• Recipients, and their nominators, may also be featured in promotional materials for the program and would need to consent to having their pictures, names, affiliation and nomination details be publicly available.

Once the recipients are notified they must:

• Accept recognition by signing an agreement with Incyte.
• Comply with Incyte policies and any federal, state, or local requirements regarding transparency, sponsorships and/or charitable donations.
• Confirm that the nomination is compliant with any institutional rules and guidelines.

All recipients in each category may be asked to:

• Participate in the filming of a three to five-minute video that clearly describes the specific actions the VIP recipient performed which led to the recognition and how those actions affected the nominator.
• Sign a release form permitting the use of their name, affiliation and story to be used in promotional materials, including the VIP and Incyte websites, press releases and other materials that promote the program.
• Attend the recognition ceremony, if available.