Workers are losing an estimated 25 million work days each year due to migraines, figures show.*
The condition affects less than one per cent of the population — an estimated 610,000 people — but with its chronic symptoms, employees are suffering lengthy absences from work, reducing their productivity by more than 50 per cent and costing the economy £2.25 billion a year.
The figures come from the Migraine Trust which said migraines are also costing a further £150 million just in terms of medication.
The symptoms are so severe that the World Health Organisation (WHO) categorises the condition at the same level of disability as dementia, quadriplegia and acute psychosis.
The WHO also classes chronic migraines at a higher level of disability than blindness, rheumatoid arthritis and paraplegia angina.
Leading clinical research specialist MeDiNova is looking for volunteer migraine sufferers beween the age of 18 and 65 to take part in a forthcoming trial to evaluate the effects of a new treatment for migraines from biotech firm Amgen.
Kumar Muthalagappan, Chief Executive of the company, which operates out of research centre in north, south and east London and Madrid, said: “Characterised by a severe, throbbing headache, migraines bring misery to thousands of men and women and is often associated with other symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light and noise.
“Every case is individual and while some may only suffer migraines occasionally others can experience several attacks a month.”
He added: “There are many treatment options already available but work is ongoing all the time to discover new treatments which may prove more effective for many individuals.
“Using a logging system our past studies have shown women suffer migraines three times more frequently than men and in around 60 per cent of cases it is linked to their menstrual cycle.
“The treatments already on the market today are the result of past clinical trials similar to the one we will be holding in November. They are crucial to our understanding of the condition and to our finding new remedies.”
MeDiNova will conduct a Phase III trial for Amgen.
A Phase II trial of Amgen among 483 migraine sufferers earlier this year was hailed a success. At the beginning of the trial patients suffered migraines over an average 8.7 days per month. By the end of the trial this had dropped by 3.4 days per month based on the maximum dosage of the investigational treatment.
To find out more information on the forthcoming clinical study for migraines email [email protected].
Alternatively log on to www.improvingtreatments.co.uk.
Ends
*Figures from The Migraine Trust
Editors’ Note:
For further information on the new centre, current studies or case studies please contact Celeste Clarke at Century PR on 024 76 228881 or email [email protected].
Celeste Clarke
Century PR
Tel: 024 7622 8881
Mob: 07799 064 066
Batchworth House, Mount Vernon Hospital
Rickmansworth Road
Northwood London HA6 2RN
United Kingdom