AMSTERDAM–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) today presented new epidemiology data on migraine from the State of Israel which indicate that socio-economic factors may contribute to underdiagnosis of migraine across society1.
A retrospective study of migraine epidemiology in Southern Israel, supported by Teva and presented at the virtual 7th Congress of the European Academy of Neurology (EAN), found extreme variability in the prevalence of diagnosed patients with migraine across the geographic area studied.
Prevalence rates were positively associated with the socio-economic status of the geographic area studied, suggesting that those living with migraine from less advantaged areas may find it harder to achieve an accurate diagnosis and thereby access appropriate therapy.
“These findings are concerning not least because they suggest significant ‘migraine awareness inequity’ in this population,” said Professor Gal Ifergane, study investigator, practitioner, head of the Department of Neurology and chair of the Division of Brain Medicine at Soroka University Medical Center, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel.
“While our study focuses on one region of one country, it may indicate this type of inequity is common in other parts of the world. Migraine is a difficult, challenging neurological disease which does not discriminate dependent on an individual’s social status. We conclude that underdiagnosis could be as much a social problem as a medical problem, and this requires further consideration if we are to ensure all those who live with migraine have access to the therapeutic interventions which are right for them. We believe migraine should be prioritised as a highly prevalent and often under-looked neurological disorder.”
The study findings build on an increasingly clear understanding of the challenges facing people living with migraine. A 2020 Teva-sponsored research project, Beyond Migraine: The Real You, surveyed over 7,500 people living with the disease in 10 European countries. It discovered that people living with migraine struggled to support themselves or advocate for improved disease management. The survey exposed the often-devastating impact of migraine on all aspects of a patient’s life, across personal relationships, work life, social life and education.
- 60% of people living with migraine indicated that the disease had negatively impacted their social life, studies, work and career
- 40% of young people living with migraine indicated a negative impact on their education
- Only 1 out of 8 individuals belonged to a patient support group
“We were pleased to support these research efforts, which throw into sharp relief the social inequality which is clearly prevalent in migraine,” said Dr Joshua M. Cohen, Senior Director and Global Therapeutic Area Lead, Migraine and Headache, Teva.
“Our commitment as Teva is to support improvements in migraine holistically, working with the neurology community and allied professionals to advance not only effective therapies, but better diagnosis, information and conditions for all those who live with this debilitating disease. We look forward to continuing our extensive research commitment as a partner to all those impacted by migraine, regardless of their location or social situation.”
About the Epidemiological Study
A total of 29,938 migraine patients were identified from of 391,528 adult public health records. The overall prevalence (per 10,000 adults) of migraine was 764.64 (7.64%), 1143.34 (11.43%) for women and 374.97 (3.74%) for men. Among the area studied, adjusted prevalence ranged from 386.14 (3.86%) to 1320.59 (13.20%). The female-to-male ratio ranged from 1.18:1 to 5.1:1.
About the ‘Beyond Migraine: The Real You survey
- The digital survey was conducted as part of the ‘Beyond Migraine; The Real You’ Campaign in 10 countries (Belgium, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK) between November 2019-December 20192.
- All respondents were 18+ years old and experienced migraine attacks for at least 4 days a month (self-reported).
- The total sample size was 7,520.
Accessing EAN 2021 Presentations
The ePresentations shared by Teva at EAN 2021 can be accessed by healthcare professionals via the EAN conference website, and available on-demand for EAN members.
Additional resources on migraine, including articles, publication summaries, podcasts and webinars can be accessed at Neurologybytes. Neurologybytes is a platform published by Teva to support neurologists in accessing timely, bite-sized content on the latest research developments and clinical care perspectives in the world of migraine and multiple sclerosis (MS).
Information for Europe about AJOVY® from the European Medicines Agency (EMA) can be found here.
About Teva
Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. (NYSE and TASE: TEVA) has been developing and producing medicines to improve people’s lives for more than a century. We are a global leader in generic and specialty medicines with a portfolio consisting of over 3,500 products in nearly every therapeutic area. Around 200 million people around the world take a Teva medicine every day and are served by one of the largest and most complex supply chains in the pharmaceutical industry. Along with our established presence in generics, we have significant innovative research and operations supporting our growing portfolio of specialty and biopharmaceutical products. Learn more at www.tevapharm.com.
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References
- Ifergane et al, 2021. A retrospective database study of migraine epidemiology in Southern Israel. Presented at EAN 2021, 21 June 2021.
- Beyond Migraine: The Real You. A survey commissioned by Teva, 2020.
Contacts
PR Contacts
Fiona Cohen, Teva Europe
Fiona.Cohen@TevaEU.com
+31 6 20 08 25 45
Con Franklin, Ketchum
con.franklin@ketchum.com
+44 (0) 7974 434 151