Migraine Blog

Please Sign the Migraine Petition to Demand Congressional Hearings for this Disabling Disease

Urge Congressional Hearings on the Impact of Migraine and Headache Disorders

WASHINGTON, DC-FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3rd, 2012-(MAGNUM)-UPDATED FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17th, 2012-Two weeks ago MAGNUM posted this very very important petition but due to technical issues it has not gone online till today. So we have lost valuable time needed to gather needed signatures. The good news is the hard work done by the Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA) and our sister member NGO’s have already gathered 9,070 signers at this time. So let us help them break 10,000 signers soon. Everything you need to know is clearly spelled out below. May we suggest you take a minute to read through it and then please sign it electronically.

Once you have done that can you please forward this article to anybody who you believe will want support improving the future for Migraine disease sufferers across our nation.

We, the undersigned citizens of the United States, hereby petition the Honorable Senators Tom Harkin, Michael Enzi, Bernard Sanders, and Rand Paul; and the Honorable Representatives Fred Upton, Henry Waxman, Joe Pitts, and Frank Pallone, Jr. –

1) To recognize the following findings of fact regarding migraine and other headache disorders:

• Chronic headache disorders, including migraine and cluster headache, are among the top 20 causes of disability in the US according to the World Health Organization (WHO)
• 19% of Americans will experience an attack of some form of migraine this year.
• 75% of Americans with episodic migraine are women, predominantly of child-bearing age.
• 4% of Americans experience 4 hours of headaches per day, at least 15 days per month.
• Among veterans of the Iraq/Afghanistan conflicts, 37% of servicemen and 57% of servicewomen reported ongoing migraine if there was a deployment history of concussive injury and any predeployment history of migraine.
• Migraine results in an increased risk of cardiovascular disease which has been linked to more than 1500 additional deaths in the US annually.
• Headache disorders, including migraine, are responsible for more than $31B in economic costs in the US annually.
• The WHO estimates that migraine causes more lost years of healthy life in the US annually than multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, ovarian cancer, and tuberculosis combined...,
• ...whereas in 2010 the combined NIH research funding on these four disorders ($684M) was more than 45 times greater than that for migraine ($15M).
• NIH funding for all research on headache disorders comprised less than 0.05% of the NIH budget in 2010.
• Only one innovative drug (sumatriptan), discovered, developed, and priority reviewed specifically for migraine treatment, has been FDA approved in the past 50 years.
• A total of only 290 American physicians have received Headache Medicine specialty training and are certified by the United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties.
• The US Congress has never held a public hearing devoted to headache disorders.
  
  

2) To hold public hearings in Washington, DC, before the Primary Health and Aging Subcommittee of the Senate HELP Committee and/or before the Health Subcommittee of the House Energy & Commerce Committee, prior to the close of the 112th Congress to:

• further the appreciation among the public and within the federal government of the enormous social, economic, and personal burdens imposed by headache disorders.
• explore the roles of the federal government through the Department of Health and Human Services, the Department of Veterans Affairs, and the Department of the Defense, as well as the role of private sector commerce, in promoting research into the causes of, and treatments for, headache disorders.
• understand and suggest remedies for the significant barriers that exist for Americans with headache disorders to obtaining effective treatments as well as adequate access to health care providers with specialty training and expertise in the care for headache disorders.

PLEASE ---> SIGN THE PETITION.

Migraine Takes Center Stage Once Again At The Grammy Awards

Migraineur Sean Diddy Combs Suffers Post Stress Letdown Migraine Requiring Hospitalization Following Playboy Mansion Grammy Awards Event 

 

(LOS ANGELES,CALIFORNIA) WASHINGTON, DC-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 13th, 2012-(MAGNUM)-UPDATED THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16th, 2012-According to a breaking news and wire reports rap star Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, who has been known for being so-called headache at past Grammy Award events is hospitalized himself for what appears to be a post stress letdown Migraine today.

P. Diddy aka Sean Combs aka Puff Daddy aka Migraine suffer had to be taken to the UCLA Emergency Room in Los Angeles, California after the rap star complained of a severe Migraine this past Sunday night (February 12^th).  The 42 year-old started suffering from massive head pain the following Monday (February 13^th) morning and he was taken to University of California, Los Angeles ER for care and treatment of is Migraine attack.

Once again Migraine takes center stage at the Grammy Awards as Sean Combs had hosted the all star-studded event at the Hugh Hefner Play Mansion which followed the Grammy Awards.  No doubt some will blame the rap mogul’s Migraine attack on his hectic schedule in addition to his trade mark partying claiming it was the cause severe incapacitating Migraine. 

But if the stress of the rap star’s hectic schedule would have played a role in his visit to the ER, then that visit would have taken place Sunday when the stress was most was at its peak.  But the fact the Migraine hit Mr. Puff Daddy on Monday morning is a classic sign we are dealing with a more common “Post Stress Letdown Migraine”.  Which tend to hit the Migraineurs when the stress is finally over.  We wish the best to the artist, and hope he is feeling better.

UCLA ER Entertance where Sean Combs was taken for his Migraine after the Grammy Party.

According to TMZ.com Migraineur Sean Combs is doing well after his treatment at UCLA emergency room, he was released is resting at home comfortably. 

His close music industry friend Russell Simmons writes in a post, “…glad that Puff is ok…probably just working too hard.” And sadly it begins again that fast, as you don’t get a Migraine from “working too hard”. But a common trigger is the sudden absence of stress which can trigger a Migraine--commonly called a post stress letdown Migraine. What apparently happened to this hard working artist is between his doctor and himself. But to his concerned fans it appears he suffered a Post Stress Letdown Migraine, and we wish him well as it looks as if he was under good medical care as the UCLA ER took his Migraine quite seriously. Something we can tell you from all the calls and e-mails MAGNUM receives, can be a real problem for many American Migraineurs when they end up at their local ER with complaints of Migraine and they are not given such good care or even worse are turned away.

Now that would have been a major story if the UCLA ER refused to treat his 'Migraine' and accused him to be a ‘drug seeker’ as so often happens to people at OTHER ER's across the nation who are legitimately sick just like Puffy just not famous.

The size of the UCLA medical facility for those not familial with it, it is a very large medical institition. But then it serves a very large city many of our reader would point out.  Which is all the more important to see how well they treated a Migraine patient.

 

Impax Pharmaceuticals Acquires Popular Migraine Abortive Drug Family

Impax Pharmaceuticals Acquires United States Rights to Popular Migraine Drug Zomig® (Zolmitriptan) from AstraZeneca 

 

WASHINGTON, DC-WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 01, 2012-(MAGNUM)- According to a breaking press release from Impax, they provide us with an Updated 2012 Financial Outlook as they expand into the Migraine disease treatment area.

Migraineurs can hope with the new ownership we might see a more completive prices for this line of popular Migraine abortive drugs.  MAGNUM will be asking Impax Pharmaceuticals if Migraineurs can expect any future changes in cost due to better production and or management? One can only hope when we read such headlines in the business sections.

Impax Pharmaceuticals, the branded products business unit of Impax Laboratories, Inc. /quotes/zigman/81476/quotes/nls/ipxl IPXL -0.25% , announced today that it has licensed from AstraZeneca the exclusive United States (U.S.) commercial rights to Zomig(R) (zolmitriptan) tablet, orally disintegrating tablet, and nasal spray formulations. As part of a Distribution, License, Development and Supply Agreement, Impax will also have non-exclusive rights to develop new products containing zolmitriptan and to exclusively commercialize these products in the U.S. in connection with the Zomig(R) brand. Under terms of the Agreement, Impax will pay AstraZeneca quarterly payments totaling $130 million during 2012, and thereafter, Impax will pay AstraZeneca tiered royalties on future sales of zolmitriptan products. Impax will receive the benefit of the gross profit on U.S. Zomig(R) sales commencing from January 1, 2012.

The transaction is expected to be immediately accretive on a non-Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) basis to Impax's earnings per share (EPS) in 2012 and potentially accretive on a GAAP basis depending upon GAAP purchase price treatment, which will be determined in due course.

"We are pleased to obtain a licensing agreement for Zomig(R), consistent with our goal to increase the revenue and financial contribution of our Impax Pharmaceuticals business to Impax Labs," said Michael Nestor, president of Impax Pharmaceuticals. "Zomig(R), with U.S. net sales for the twelve months ended September 30, 2011 of $163 million, is a strong neurology brand, and the nasal spray form has U.S. patents expiring as late as 2021. The Zomig(R) product franchise fits well with the capabilities of our neurology focused specialty sales force. It will support the growth of our commercial organization as we prepare for the potential launch of IPX066, our leading brand product candidate for Parkinson's Disease, and beyond."

 

"Zomig®, with U.S. net sales for the twelve months ended September 30, 2011 of $163 million, is a strong neurology brand, and the nasal spray form has U.S. patents expiring as late as 2021...” 

                          -Michael Nestor, president of Impax Pharmaceuticals

We at MAGNUM are very happy to report the health industry has come so far from where it started when it comes to Migraines in just the two short decades MAGNUM has been fighting the good fight.  To see a President of a major Pharmaceutical manufacturer such as President Michael Nestor, of Impax Pharmaceuticals calmly refer to a product line of Migraine abortive medications as a strong neurology brand is a powerful statement how far we have come, and how the medical industry itself understands, finally, that Migraine is one of the most debilitating illnesses a person might face.  In 1994 to write in print that Migraine was a neurological disease was a good way not to get published, even though we knew back then it was a neurological condition.   Thing will only get better.  So you can see why Impax Pharmaceuticals believe business will also be good for them as they note in their press release;

"We expect Zomig(R) will contribute meaningfully to our total company revenues and earnings in 2012 and 2013. For the longer term profitability of the brand business unit, we look to build sales of the Zomig(R) nasal spray dosage form," stated Larry Hsu, president and CEO of Impax Laboratories. "The Zomig(R) license is the latest effort in our active pursuit of additional long term growth opportunities for our generic and brand businesses."

Zomig(R) and Zomig-ZMT(R) are registered trademarks of the AstraZeneca group of companies and are exclusively licensed in the U.S. to Impax in connection with Impax's commercialization of Zomig(R). For more information about Zomig(R), go to www.zomig.com .

Impax Laboratories 2012 Financial Outlook

On January 9, 2012, Impax provided its 2012 financial outlook. The Company has updated its 2012 financial outlook as noted below to reflect the impact of the Distribution, License, Development and Supply Agreement with AstraZeneca for Zomig(R).

 

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Mary Lamielle Receives Martin Luther King Freedom Medal For Helping Those With Disabilities

Executive Director of the National Center for Environmental Health Strategies Mary Lamielle Honored For Fighting The Sick & Disabled Americans

WASHINGTON, DC; FRIDAY, JANUARY 20^th, 2012—(MAGNUM)—UPDATED FEBFUARY 7, 2012 — We at MAGNUM are very proud to report that Mary Lamielle, executive director of the National Center for Environmental Health Strategies, is one of fourteen Camden County , New Jersey , residents chosen to receive the 2012 Camden County Freedom Medal, honoring the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., for their unselfish contributions to improving their community.

 

Improving the quality of life for Migraineurs would not be possible if not for such people as Executive Director Mary Lamielle.  Which is why we know this story will warm many of your hearts to know we have such people in the health world in a time when we read all too many negative health care articles.

For three decades Mary has dedicated herself to promoting the public health and improving the lives of people sick or disabled by environmental exposures. She has served on dozens of federal and state advisory committees including the recently concluded CDC National Conversation on Public Health and Chemical Exposures. She is a member of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences’ Public Interest Partners and HUD’s Disability Task Force.

Mary was nominated for the Freedom Medal by Diane Reibel, Assistant Professor of Physiology at Thomas Jefferson Medical School in Philadelphia . In nominating Mary, Dr. Reibel noted that I met Mary twenty-five years ago when I became ill from chemicals in my research laboratory. Mary’s knowledge, support, and advocacy were a life saver for me. What Mary did for me, she has done for thousands of people across New Jersey and tens of thousands nationwide.

”

Mary was recently honored with the 2011 New Jersey Governor’s Jefferson Award for Public Service, PSEG Environmental Stewardship Award, and a 2010 US EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award, the highest civilian award given by the EPA.

The Camden County Freedom Medal award was created in 2001 to honor the ideals indicative of the slain civil rights leader. According to Camden County Freeholder Director Louis Cappelli Jr., “This is Camden County ‘s way of honoring Dr. King.”

Medals will be presented during an evening ceremony at the Camden County Boathouse at Cooper River on January 20.

EDITORS NOTE: We are sorry as several articles where taken offline by mistake while we are making other updates to MigraineBlog. So if an article you read a while back was not here when you returned to forward it, please do not adjust your medication, your memories and recall are fine.  It is just the staff working on one of your favorite Migraine blogs and 'that' posting was up last month and you will be happy to know your recall is working well.

 

Migraineur Martin Luther King Jr’s--King Center Imagine Project--To Open This Holiday Weekend

King Center Imagine Project Goes OnLine Today!

WASHINGTON, DC; FRIDAY, JANUARY 13^TH, 2012— (MAGNUM)—(UPDATED: MONDAY, JANUARY 16^th, 2012 )—  "I remember Dr. King came to the meeting late. And he said, 'I have been agonizing this week about our struggle. I've had a Migraine headache for three days, it won't stop hurting’" noted Reverend Jesse Jackson commenting on Dr. King's remarks regarding his severe Migraine attack that faithful day on a History Channel interview about the great American Migraineur Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s last night. On this MLK holiday MAGNUM reminds us not to forget, although we remember him as an important African American civil rights hero and Nobel Peace Prize winner, he was simply a Great American. A large and comprehensive collection of Martin Luther King Jr.'s documents is now available online. The collection, consisting of nearly 1 million documents, will be available at the King Center Imagine Project. You can find them here.”

 

You can revisit the full text of the MigraineBlog.org  “American Migraineur Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.”. Originally published on January 15^th, 2007 the short title was “Dr. King Heals A Nation”.  Which we at MAGNUM feel is quite appropriate.  

 

That was written in MigraineBlog.org in 2007 when the King Center Imagine Project was taken for granted. Well this article has become one of MAGNUM’s most popular famous Migraineur stories as the purpose of this piece was to introduce the fact that not only was Doctor Martin Luther King Jr. an African American civil rights hero, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, and of  course he was simply a Great American—he was a disabled America who struggled with Migraine disease, a neurological illness which the World Health Organization ranks as one of the globes most disabling diseases.

To that fact a condition he confronted to the last day of his life, even the night before he gave one of his most historic speeches which is still lifting millions of us from needness social pain.  When you have a Migraine free day go visit King Center Imaging Project, you never know what you might learn and you cannot beat the cost of the this education.

200,000 MLK Documents Now Available Online Free

(UPDATED: MONDAY, JANUARY 16^th, 2012 )— (MAGNUM)— The King Center is happy to announce The King Center Imaging Project is going online today, on his Federal holiday recognizing a Great American-- Migraineur Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  When you visit The King Center Imaging Project’s website you will find a treasure trove of American history.  Everything from a handwritten draft, complete with cross-outs, of Martin Luther King's acceptance speech for the 1964 Nobel Peace Prize.  To the charming letters he received from American children.  To such insight to the ‘our nation’s healer’ thinking as his personal notes about the ending of King's iconic I Have a Dream speech.

These and other King papers — 200,000 documents in all — will be available online for the first time today, as the nation marks Martin Luther King Day, nice timing we would say.

The King Center Imaging Project, was financed and overseen by JPMorgan Chase, offers free public access to the papers at the website located here at  www.TheKingCenter.org/archive.

Support The King Center, Support the Dream!

 

FRINGE Character Olivia Dunham Struggles with Lifelike Migraines On the Popular SiFi Fox Cult TV Hit Series In Its Fourth Season

Australian Actress Anna Torv Helps to Highlight What the W.H.O. Calls a Top 20 World’s Most Debilitating Disease—And That Is NO Fringe Science Nor Is it SiFi!

WASHINGTON, DC; THURSDAY DECEMBER 23^RD, 2011— (MAGNUM)— (Updated January 9^th 2012 )— During the holiday season many of us stay up late watching our favorite TV shows while we take care of holiday tasks. One of MAGNUM’s task holidays or plain days is to be on the lookout for how and if Migraine disease is portrayed on TV or on film or even digital media productions these days.  Having said that, we have been collecting a rather large file of actors portraying Migraineurs, in addition we are beginning to see Migraine showing up in a character in everything from TV commercials, to television shows, to feature length movies.

Case in point, popular Fox TV science fiction show now on its fourth year of small screen adventures whose cast includes a Migraineur.  For those of us who suffer from Migraine it is often that much more interesting when we see one of our own as a member of the main cast.

In fact the cast member who is written to struggle with lifelike Migraines is the striking redhead Olivia Dunham, an FBI Special Agent no less who investigates all sorts of interesting crimes.  Olivia’s Migraineur is played by the talented and beautiful Australian actress Anna Torv who helps to highlight what the W.H.O. calls a top 20 world’s most debilitating diseases—And that Is NO Fringe science nor is it SiFi either!

Anna Torv was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1978 and moved to Sydney, but she spent her teen years on the Gold Coast. Since graduating from NIDA she moved on to acting lucky for us. We have not seen any reports of her suffering from Migraine in real life.  But we appreciate her portrayal of a Migraineur in such a reasonable fashion on a very popular TV show.  As I am sure many readers have seen Migraine portrayed as everything from a mild headache to a mental illness.

So if you have not watched the Fox show FRINGE and you are a Migraineur you might just want to check it out and keep in mind one of the main characters is a Migraineur just like us!  FRINGE has its Winter Premiere this January, on oh my godness, Friday the 13th at 9:00PM and 8:00PM central time.  Enjoy. 

Cast of The FRINGE