New class of medications can help thousands of migraine patients but are too costly: Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui
KARACHI, Oct 31 (SABAH): Cost of drugs and procedures to treat neurological disorders is very high and is constantly rising, not just in Pakistan but globally. The healthcare policymakers seem least concerned about this grave issue, President Epilepsy Foundation Pakistan and noted neurophysician of the country Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui, at a South Asian Migraine Management Advisory Board meeting in Hong Kong, where she represented Pakistan.
The advisory board meeting discussed about a new group of medications to reduce and treat migraine attacks. They said that migraine is not just a headache, but a debilitating condition associated with high global disease burden. In a survey in 2019 it was shown that 1.1 billion people suffer from migraine and 42.1 million years were lived with disability globally. This makes it the 2nd largest cause of disability especially in women of 15-49 years worldwide.
They said new treatments which are novel in action and modulate the genetic receptors that are activated during migraine known as CGRP antagonist monoclonal antibodies. CGRPs are tiny molecules that are found to be secreted in migraine attacks. Most of these antibodies are given in injection form and are very expensive. For example eptinezumab is in IV form given every three months to prevent migraine attacks from happening. However this is very expensive like $1,708 (about 4.75 lac pkr) per 100mg injection.
Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui said that we need drugs like this in Pakistan and figure out a way for drug subsidy and payment plans. She pushed the advisory board to come up with different innovations to be able to bring these medications to countries like Pakistan, Taiwan and Philippines in a cost-effective manner to provide benefit to our less affording patients.
These medicines are showing promise in reducing agony of millions of people but cost is outrageous limiting use to only 1-2% of patients. 99% people will remain deprived of all these newer therapies if a policy is not put forward. It is insane to have all these beneficial agents and deprive patients from access she said
Anti-epileptic drugs are also used to treat certain migraine attacks and there is an overlap of the two conditions. Dr. Fowzia Siddiqui said it is a very complex entity but treatable if the right diagnosis is made and drugs are available to all. The high cost and acute shortage of drugs in Pakistan is getting to be an alarming condition which needs immediate action. Issued from Karachi main office of Epilepsy Foundation Pakistan