Thousands of migraine sufferers are to get relief after the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence’s (Nice) recommended a new treatment to the NHS. The pill, named Rimegepant, will be an option for preventing migraines in up to 145,000 adults, if previous treatments have failed.
Nice estimates that there are 190,000 migraine attacks experienced every day in England and it is classified as a neurological disease that can leave sufferers debilitated for days. A migraine is typically characterised by suffering very bad headache with nausea, difficulty speaking, sensitivity to light and temporarily sight loss.
Beta-blockers, antidepressants, injections and epilepsy medicine are currently being used to treat the headaches, but these can have significant side-effects and don't always work.
To the joy of many sufferers there is set to be another option given to patients, with Nice's draft guidance recommending Rimegepant, made by Pfizer. The pill is in fact a wafer, which dissolves under the tongue and works by halting the release of a protein around in the brain called calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). CGRP causes inflammation and is responsible for the severe pain associated with migraine attacks.
Rimegepant will not be available to everyone who experiences migraines, however, it will only be an option for adults who have at least four migraine attacks a month but fewer than 15.
Final guidance is expected next month if there are no appeals, but a date for it to be available on the NHS is yet to be announced.
On the new guidance, Toby Cousens, head of hospital and internal medicine at Pfizer UK, said: "On top of debilitating physical symptoms, migraine can place significant pressure on the professional and personal lives of those living with it, including being forced to take time off work."
"Today's decision is a positive step forward to help meet the care needs of eligible patients in England and Wales."
According to the NHS, migraine sufferers should contact their GP if they are severe, getting worse, or lasting longer than usual. You should also contact them if you have migraines more than once a week.
