American Migraine Foundation Survey Shows Nearly All People with Migraine and Healthcare Professionals Believe Migraine and Mental Health Significantly Impact Each Other

• 84% of people with migraine (PwM) and 92% of healthcare professionals (HCPs) agree that worsening migraine leads to poorer mental health
• Nearly all HCPs (93%) feel mental health impacts a PwM's ability to successfully manage their migraine
• 77% of PwM worry about stigma of migraine and mental health and are hesitant to discuss with their HCP

MOUNT ROYAL, NJ, July 28, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Migraine Foundation (AMF) and Biohaven Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: BHVN) today announced findings from a new survey about migraine and its impact on mental health. The results of the Migraine and Mental Health Connection Survey reveal that the majority of healthcare professionals (HCPs) and people with migraine (PwM) strongly believe that migraine and mental health significantly impact each other. The survey also found that stigma surrounding migraine is a significant barrier PwM face in discussing mental health issues with their HCP.

The survey, which included 1,100 PwM who also identify as having a mental health condition and 302 HCPs that treat neurological diseases found nearly all HCPs (91%) and two-thirds of PwM (67%) believe that those who are better able to successfully manage their stress and mental health conditions are also better able to manage migraine.

"Migraine is complex and has the capacity to disrupt a person's life, relationships and sense of well-being, which in turn can impact their mental health," said Judy Ho, Ph.D., triple board-certified clinical and forensic neuropsychologist and former co-host of The Doctors. "The Migraine and Mental Health Connection Survey showed that people with migraine and healthcare professionals are aligned in recognizing that the unpredictable and disabling nature of migraine attacks often creates worry and anxiety that can add difficulty to one's ability to manage migraine and further impact their mental health. This is often referred to as a "vicious cycle" between migraine and mental health. It's important that people with migraine understand that improving mental health can lead to better migraine outcomes, and vice versa."

Conversations Around Migraine and Mental Health
One vital step in improving those outcomes is talking to a trusted HCP. Two-thirds of PwM said that it is important to discuss mental health with the HCP treating their migraine and nearly 60% report raising the topic themselves, even though most wish their HCP would initiate the conversation. The survey found a marked discordancy between HCPs and PwM on this topic, as 70% of HCPs state they ask about mental health conditions often, if not always.

"Closing the gaps in communication between healthcare professionals and their patients can help improve migraine and mental health management," said Larry Newman, M.D., professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and chair of AMF. "I hope that the findings of this survey encourage people with migraine to feel empowered to speak out about their pain and have deeper, meaningful conversations about migraine and mental health without worrying about stigma. These are important conversations that both people with migraine and healthcare professionals should initiate at every visit."

Interestingly, the survey found that HCPs underestimate the percentage of PwM suffering from depression and anxiety disorders. While 57% and 50% of PwM report having been diagnosed with an anxiety or depressive disorder, respectively, HCPs estimate these conditions occur in just 29% and 30% of patients, respectively."

Treatment Approach
Both PwM (87%) and HCPs (94%) believe that mental health would benefit from improved migraine control. The top three recommended mental health treatments by HCPs are medication (83%), psychotherapy or cognitive behavioral therapy (71%) and relaxation therapy (70%). But PwM do not report using these techniques as frequently (58%, 28% and 26%, respectively). Nearly all HCPs (91%) and over half of the PwM respondents (54%) feel that migraine management needs to be more flexible by tailoring treatment to patient needs. Additionally, almost all PwM feel it is equally important to treat migraine and mental health and want their HCP to factor these dual priorities in their treatment plan.

"At Biohaven, we are driven to help the millions of people suffering from migraine to better manage their attacks," said Vlad Coric, M.D., Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the board of Biohaven. "This survey conducted by the American Migraine Foundation allows us to learn more about the perspectives of HCPs and their patients with migraine as we work to better understand the complexities of migraine and its impact on mental health."

For more information on migraine and its impact on mental health, visit www.americanmigrainefoundation.org.

This survey was conducted with support by Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.

About the Survey
The Migraine and Mental Health Connection Survey was an online, quantitative opinion survey conducted by the American Migraine Foundation and funded by Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd. The survey was fielded between April and May 2022 and included responses from 1,100 people with migraine (PwM) and a mental health condition, and 302 healthcare professionals (HCPs) that treat neurological disease (including 50 neurologists, 50 headache specialists and 202 general practitioners).

About Migraine
Nearly 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from migraine and the World Health Organization classifies migraine as one of the 10 most disabling medical illnesses. Migraine is characterized by debilitating attacks lasting four to 72 hours with multiple symptoms, including pulsating headaches of moderate to severe pain intensity that can be associated with nausea or vomiting, and/or sensitivity to sound (phonophobia) and sensitivity to light (photophobia). There is a significant unmet need for new treatments as more than 90 percent of people with migraine are unable to work or function normally during an attack.

About the American Migraine Foundation
The American Migraine Foundation provides education, support and resources for the millions of men, women and children living with migraine. Our mission is to advance migraine research, promote patient advocacy and expand access to care for patients worldwide. Migraine and other disabling diseases that cause severe head pain impact more than 39 million people in the United States alone. By educating caregivers and giving patients the tools to advocate for themselves, we have cultivated a movement that gives a collective voice to the migraine community. Working closely with migraine and headache experts at our partner organization, the American Headache Society, we educate caregivers and give patients the tools to advocate for themselves, cultivating a movement that gives a collective voice to the migraine community. For more information, please visit www.americanmigrainefoundation.org.

About Biohaven
Biohaven is a global commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company with a portfolio of innovative, best-in-class therapies to improve the lives of patients with debilitating neurological and neuropsychiatric diseases, including rare disorders. Biohaven's Neuroinnovation™ portfolio includes FDA-approved Nurtec ODT (rimegepant) for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine (EMA-approved as Vydura®  for the acute treatment of migraine with or without aura, and prophylaxis of episodic migraine in adults who have at least four migraine attacks per month) and a broad pipeline of late-stage product candidates across five distinct mechanistic platforms: CGRP receptor antagonism for the acute and preventive treatment of migraine; glutamate modulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder and spinocerebellar ataxia; and MPO inhibition for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Kv7 Ion Channel Activators (Kv7) activators for focal epilepsy and neuronal hyperexcitability, and myostatin inhibition for neuromuscular diseases. More information about Biohaven is available at www.biohavenpharma.com.

NURTEC^®, NURTEC ODT and VYDURA are registered trademarks of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Ireland DAC. Neuroinnovation and NOJECTION are trademarks of Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.

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Media Contact
Mike Beyer
Sam Brown Inc.
[email protected]
312-961-2502

American Migraine Foundation Contact
Heather Phillips
[email protected]

SOURCE Biohaven Pharmaceutical Holding Company Ltd.