The Migraine Association of Ireland welcomes today’s news that the EU Commission has granted a marketing authorisation for the drug Erenumab in the EU. Erenumab is primarily prescribed for the prevention of migraine in adults who are suffering from chronic refractory migraine, i.e. migraine which occurs 10-14 days per month and which has not responded to treatment with other preventatives. Erenumab can be self administered or administered by another trained person every 4 weeks with the SureClick© autoinjector pen.
In patient trials, patients treated with Erenumab experienced a 50% or more reduction in monthly migraines and 1 in 4 patients experienced no migraines at all following treatment with the drug.
These results offer some real hope for chronic migraine sufferers in Ireland. Migraine is a debilitating neurological disorder which can have a profound and damaging impact on a sufferer’s personal life and their working lives and relationships. Migraine is often misunderstood in society and people feel others often think they are exaggerating their symptoms. This stigma is prevalent despite the fact that in addition to a debilitating headache migraine can also cause visual disturbances, vomiting, nausea, partial paralysis, slurred speech and confusion among other symptoms.
Erenumab may be of benefit to some sufferers who are experiencing particularly regular and debilitating episodic migraines but that decision would need to be decided by the patient’s neurologist. Erenumab has been classified as a “Hi-Tech” drug in Ireland which means that it must be prescribed by a Consultant Neurologist.This drug will not be available through your GP . While this may seem restrictive it is important that it is prescribed to patients with the greatest needs.
Currently no decisions have been made in relation to pubic availability of the drug.
