Supporting Kiwis to live better with migraine
Join our 2026 advocacy campaign
New Zealanders with migraine are being denied public access to medications that are fully funded, standard of care treatments overseas. Your action during 2026 helps give Kiwis with migraine a better future.
What’s New
Research Significant data gaps for a comprehensive migraine cost-of-illness study
Information Updated article on migraine for primary care health professionals
Advocacy Pharmac consultation on possible brand changes
Migraine in New Zealand
Globally, treatment and knowledge about migraine have improved in recent years. In New Zealand, we still face many challenges.
The number and variety of treatments for migraine have expanded greatly in past years. People with migraine no longer have to take medications that were developed for other diseases; there are now treatments specifically targeted at migraine. But what are some of the challenges facing people in Aotearoa New Zealand living with migraine? And what data have we captured from our Migraine in Aotearoa New Zealand 2022 survey?
Migraine Voices
Living with migraine disease can be challenging. Those of us with migraine know that it’s more than just a headache. Migraine is a whole body disease that affects everyone differently. Members of the Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand community share their stories about living with migraine and how there’s hope, even when some days it can feel like a struggle.
Suzanne, Canterbury
How long have you had migraine and what type of migraine do you have? I am honestly not sure. I just have headaches pretty much every day, sometimes 3 migraines a week. I started getting them in my teenage years and they have progressively got worse. Sometimes I think there
Julie, Auckland
How long have you had migraine and what type of migraine do you have? Chronic migraine (migraine without aura), for 57 years. How does migraine disease impact your life? When I was very young and there were no short-term drugs apart from disprin and minimal preventative drugs it affected my
Sarah, Auckland
How long have you had migraine and what type of migraine do you have? I’ve had migraine attacks for around 21 years. I suffer from cluster headaches which usually turn into a migraine. Typically pain behind my left eye, with nausea and without aura. They can last for hours to
Mart, Porirua
How long have you had migraine and what type of migraine do you have? For 52 years, I get aura migraines. How does migraine disease impact your life? It means I often can’t do my job to the best of my ability, which is massively frustrating as I set myself
Making an impact for New Zealanders
How do we make a difference for the 733,000 women, men and children living with migraine in New Zealand?
- We connect and support people with migraine.
- We increase awareness of migraine disease and advocate for positive change.
- We create and disseminate robust, evidence-based information about migraine.
- We support and undertake New Zealand-focused research and collaborate with researchers in planning, recruiting and dissemination of findings.
Our supporters and partners
