Towards an EU Migraine Action Plan: Addressing the Significant Impact on European Citizens and the Economy

There is no doubt that key progress has been made during the last mandate to address Europe’s greatest health risk: non-communicable diseases (NCD), which accounts for 80% of the disease burden in the EU. All the more impressive given its heavy focus on the COVID-19 response and reopening of the EU’s General Pharmaceutical Legislation (GPL).

As we enter a new mandate, it is crucial to maintain the positive momentum of the Commission’s Healthier Together Initiative and prioritize all high-burden NCDs to achieve the ambitious goal of reducing their prevalence by up to 70%. The Council Conclusions on the future of the European Health Union further emphasize the importance of the Initiative’s implementation.

NCDs comprise a diverse range of conditions, including migraine - a condition with unique and often unseen impacts to society, impacting 41 million adult Europeans[1].  Although not life-threatening, migraine certainly presents a life-altering reality for those living with the condition.  It is the leading cause of years lived with disability in people under the age of 50, the leading cause of disability in young women and the second leading cause of disability in the world[2].

Migraine is also linked to various comorbidities which can further exacerbate pressure on healthcare systems. For example, migraines are strongly associated with depression and anxiety, with individuals affected by migraine being 2 to 10 times more likely to experience a mood disorder compared to the general population[3]. With Commission President Ursula von der Leyen highlighting the importance of taking action on mental health within her strategic priorities for the next policy mandate, migraine is a disease that cannot be ignored.

At a time when the EU is strategically focusing on bolstering its economy, it’s also important to acknowledge migraine leads to significant economic costs too. Its indirect costs such as reduced productivity and absenteeism, contribute to an annual expense of €111 billion in the EU[4]. This can have a profound impact at the national level, for example in Sweden, the entire population affected by migraine was estimated to cost SEK 34.2 billion (equivalent to approximately €30 billion) in 2022 alone[5].

"Migraine is a debilitating condition that affects millions across Europe, yet it remains underrepresented in policy discussions. The EU Migraine Action Plan will not only bring much-needed attention to this chronic illness but will also ensure that it is recognized as a critical public health priority. By fostering collaboration across member states, we can improve research, access to treatments, and support systems for those living with migraine, ultimately enhancing their quality of life and productivity," stated Elena Ruiz de la Torre, Executive Director of the European Migraine Headache Alliance (EMHA).

Despite migraine’s significant burden on Europe, there is a perception that it remains both misunderstood and deprioritized on the healthcare policy agenda. This is why the EU’s migraine policy community has come together to craft an EU Migraine Action Plan- an ambitious vision outlining key policy proposals to improve the lives of people living with migraine and improve healthcare system sustainability. Its recommendations are built around five key pillars, with recommendations for policy action to be taken at both an EU and Member State level:

1.Approaching migraine holistically from a policy perspective.

2.Ensuring relevant funding for migraine from policy bodies as a neurobiological chronic disease to improve migraine patient outcomes across the EU.

3.Increasing understanding of migraine as a chronic condition.

4.Integrating the voice of migraine patient community into healthcare policy decision-making, to ensure the needs of this patient community are heard and facilitate access to medicines[6].

5.Ensuring migraine is adequately addressed through unmet medical need (UMN) in the revision of the EU’s Pharmaceutical Legislation.

As the new EU mandate begins, prioritizing NCDs, including migraine, within health policy is essential. The launch of the EU Migraine Action Plan is undoubtably an important first step and we must now take note and transition from planning to tangible action to ensure meaningful progress is made in the lives of those affected by migraines.

*The EU Migraine Action Plan is the result of a policy workshop, sponsored by Pfizer, which brought together leaders from the European Migraine and Headache Alliance (EMHA), the European Brain Council (EBC), the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA), the Migraine Trust, Active Citizenship Network (ACN), Hoofdstuk, GAMIAN Europe, MIGRA Portugal and Alleanza Cefalalgici (Fondazione CIRNA).