Migraine Australia has welcomed the news that another new migraine medication has been recommended for the PBS after five years of campaigning, but says sick people should not have to fight so hard.
Late on Friday afternoon the news came through that Aimovig, one of the breakthrough life changing preventative medications for migraine called CGRPs, has received a positive recommendation from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Advisory Committee (PBAC). This recommendation is a requirement for any medication to be listed on the PBS.
This decision is particularly significant for Migraine Australia, which was formed largely because of Aimovig.
Aimovig was the first of the new migraine medications to be released, but was unsuccessful three times in getting on the PBS and stopped trying in 2019. Only a small number of patients who were able to find the $695 a month to pay for it have been able to continue on the medication over the last five years.
Migraine Australia says it has never stopped fighting for Aimovig, and there were both cheers and tears on Friday night when this five year long battle with the PBAC was settled, but Chair of Migraine Australia, Raphaella Kathryn Crosby, who has had her own life transformed thanks to Aimovig, said they know the fight is not yet over.
‘When Emgality and Ajovy were recommended by the PBAC it took over a year for the Department of Health to negotiate a supply contract and the Minister to list these amazing medications on the PBS,’ she said.
Praying and hoping
‘We are praying and hoping that Mark Butler will not take that long for Aimovig,’ said Ms Crosby. ‘Aimovig works differently to the three other medications already listed, and there are many people – including myself – for whom the other medications simply don’t work.’
With the federal election looming and all the uncertainty that comes with that, Migraine Australia has launched a campaign calling for a more fundamental shift in how migraine is treated.’
She says that a positive recommendation for Aimovig is great, but what sufferers really want is is equality. ‘We are asking our leaders – and the nation – to give migraine a break,’ Ms Crosby said. ‘Sick people simply shouldn’t have to fight this hard.
‘We’re not asking for anything special, just to have the same access to care and support as other conditions. And we’re sick of being denied our fair share of the health care budget because there’s too many of us.’
Migraine revolution
Migraine was redefined as a genetic sensory processing disorder in 2017. The scientific breakthrough that busted the ‘vascular headache’ myth has led to an extraordinary revolution in migraine care, including the advent of the first ever medications developed for migraine, and many migraine patients starting to get adequate care for the first time.
‘The migraine revolution has the potential to put half a million Australians – mostly young women – back into the workforce, and reduce absenteeism and presenteeism for millions more,’ said Ms Crosby.
‘That’s a huge potential boost to the economy, but to see the opportunity realised, we need migraine to be given a break. We need access to the new medication, as well as appropriate support and awareness activities for patients, doctors, and employers to all get on the same page.
‘On a more fundamental level, we need all Australians to get used to the idea that migraine is not a headache – it’s a very challenging life long disability. One that we can now really manage effectively.’
Migraine Australia will be asking supporters to pledge to vote for migraine – making migraine the number one thing they consider who to vote for in the upcoming federal election, and asking both those currently in government and candidates to declare what they will do to give migraine a break.
