Thousands of Australians living with frequent migraines will now have access to a treatment at a significantly reduced cost, after a key medication was added to the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS).
From June 1, the migraine prevention drug Emgality was added to the PBS for people experiencing eight or more migraine days each month, it is expected to benefit around 135,000 Australians every year.
Without a subsidy, a prescription can cost more than $500. Under the PBS, eligible patients will pay a maximum of $25, or $7.70 for concession card holders.
Federal Health Minister Mark Butler said the treatment had already made a significant difference for many Australians living with migraines.
“We know how effective this medicine is,” Butler told 7NEWS.
“We’ve seen it for people with that very high frequency of migraines every month.”
High-frequency episodic migraine can cause severe headaches, nausea and sensitivity to light and sound, often affecting a person’s ability to work, study and carry out everyday activities.
For Canberra woman Elise Bailey, migraines have been a constant challenge since childhood.
“Without any treatment I have a near constant migraine. I don’t really have any downtime where I don’t have a migraine,” she told 7NEWS.
Bailey said she achieved the best results by combining monthly Emgality injections with Botox treatments every three months.
“The combination was the best treatment I’ve ever had.”
However, the cost of maintaining both treatments eventually became too much.
“So I had to make a choice, sort of one or the other,” she said.
“Ultimately we decided to go with the Botox and leave the Emgality for the moment, which has been hard. It does leave me with a lot of migraine days during the month.”
While welcoming the PBS expansion, Bailey said some patients still face challenges accessing the combination of treatments they need.
“I’m really, really happy that more people are getting access to this treatment,” she said.
“There is a little bit more work to be done for people in situations like me who need just a little bit more help.”
Migraine Headache Australia lead Carl Cincinato said affordability remained a major barrier for many people seeking treatment.
“For people with migraine, it’s often not whether the treatment exists. It’s whether they can afford to start and stay on it,” he said.
He described the PBS listing as a positive step forward but said more work was needed to improve access to care.
“Many Australians still face delays, eligibility hurdles, out-of-pocket costs, and challenges reaching a headache specialist.”
Image: 7News
