WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is turning attention to nonhealing chronic wounds, holding a public meeting Tuesday focused on the experiences and treatment needs of patients living with the condition.

The Patient-Focused Drug Development meeting is designed to provide regulators and researchers with greater insight into how chronic wounds affect patients and what they need from future treatments.

Chronic wounds can require prolonged medical care and may place significant demands on patients, caregivers and healthcare providers. Better understanding of patient priorities can help inform future research and development of therapies.

The meeting comes as the U.S. healthcare industry continues to focus on new treatment approaches, patient-centered drug development and improved outcomes for difficult-to-treat conditions.

The FDA's focus on patient experiences could help shape future research priorities and the development of treatments aimed at improving chronic wound healing and quality of life.

The agency's broader patient-focused approach is increasingly important as pharmaceutical companies and researchers seek to develop therapies that address unmet medical needs.