Dealing with bad or unsolicited advice about migraine
How many times has someone found out I have migraine and they immediately offer me their solution. I’ve been told: You should get your eyes tested You should try acupuncture You should try Chinese medicine You should try ayurvedic medicine You should try these special supplements, that my wife has a business in You should […]
Shades for Migraine in New Zealand
On 21 June we joined with many other organisations and advocates to help raise awareness of migraine disease. We encouraged people in New Zealand to post photos of themselves, their family, their pets, their colleagues, wearing a pair of sunglasses for the global social media campaign Shades for Migraine, run by the Association of Migraine […]
Pharmac responds to our erenumab funding feedback
Pharmac responds to our feedback we submitted in April following PTAC’s recommendation that erenumab be funded, but with a low priority. Last week we received a reply from Pharmac regarding the feedback we submitted following the Pharmacology and Therapeutics Advisory Committee (PTAC) recommendation that erenumab (Aimovig) be funded, but with a low priority and only […]
New report highlights medication underfunding in NZ
What a new report about funding of cancer medicines tells us about the broader chronic underfunding of medications in NZ. On 28 April 2022, the Cancer Control Agency I Te Aho o te Kahu, released a report that examined the gap between the number of cancer medications that Australia funds, versus how many are funded […]
Unjustified dismissal for severe migraine – lessons for NZ
What a worker’s experience of unjustified dismissal tells us about the management of migraine in New Zealand. On 20 April 2022, the New Zealand Herald reported on a story about a mechanical technician, Shane Hawkins, who was awarded compensation for unjustified dismissal due to his persistent and debilitating migraine attacks. Two aspects of this story […]
Pharmac declines application for wider range of triptans
After nearly 10 years, Pharmac finally published its decision for funding a wider range of triptans. Nearly 10 years ago, in July 2012, Pharmac received an application for a wider range of triptan medications to be funded for people living with migraine. Only two triptans are funded and available in New Zealand – sumatriptan and […]
Feedback to Pharmac on consideration of erenumab (Aimovig)
Migraine Foundation Aotearoa New Zealand has submitted feedback to Pharmac and PTAC following its consideration of erenumab (Aimovig) for prophylactic treatment of migraine. Pharmac is the agency in Aotearoa New Zealand that is responsible for deciding what medicines to fund. Pharmac operates from a fixed budget, which is set by the Government. To help in […]
