URGENT appeal for migraine sufferers to access new treatment

Headache Australia is urging migraine sufferers to help a breakthrough migraine treatment be added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).

Aimovig® (also known as Erenumab) is preventative, reducing episodes by at least 50 percent in clinical trials.[i]

The deadline for submissions to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC), who decides which drugs are added to the PBS, is June 6. Without PBS support, the cost will be most likely beyond the affordability of many of Australia’s estimated five million migraine sufferers.

The Committee has requested public and personal comments from Australians who are living with or treating migraine or their carers.

“We need you to submit your comments to the PBAC to ensure they understand how painful and disabling migraine disease is, how limited in effectiveness current treatments are, and how great the need is for patient access to new and more effective preventive treatments,” said Secretary General of the Brain Foundation, Gerald Edmunds.

“This is your story to tell and a chance to be heard and advocate. Everyone’s story will be different, but it’s important that we all emphasize key points to show that we are a strong and united community.”

 Migraine is the biggest disabling neurological disorder is Australia.[ii]It is not just a headache: a multitude of symptoms can be experienced at different phases of a migraine attack, lasting from days to weeks. Vision changes, aura, disturbed behavior, headache, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, and severe nausea at times all contribute to significant disruption of daily life.

“Aimovig® fills a huge treatment gap in our current preventative medications toolkit in migraine.  This is a transformation in the field of headache medicine; nothing like this has yet been seen despite migraine knowledge existing for thousands of years,” said Professor Tissa Wijeratne, senior neurologist and Chair of the Global Policy and Advocacy Committee with the World Federation of Neurology.

 “Many of these people live in misery and disability as this is the most neglected, least respected and most mismanaged medical disorder here in Australia and worldwide.”

 Aimovig® is the first preventative treatment designed specifically to prevent migraine by targeting molecules released during a migraine and prevent them from triggering an attack.

The treatment is currently under medical review with hopes it will be made available later this year. It was recently approved in the US in May.

Another benefit is the reduction in overuse of analgesics.

“The analgesics that are frequently required to manage migraine can worsen the condition by causing increased headaches due to medication overuse. Migraine prevention is therefore key in high frequency or chronic migraine (CM),” said Professor Wijeratne.

“Current preventative therapies bring a baggage of side effects including weight gain, confusion, depression, disorientation, and 80% of the patients stop these medications within a year.”

Patient input must be received by Wednesday June 6, 2018. Here is the link to make a submission:

http://headacheaustralia.org.au

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ENDS

Professor Tissa Wijeratne and Gerald Edmunds are available for interview.

A variety of people who suffer from migraine can also share their stories.