WASHINGTON, DC—The Alliance for Headache Disorders Advocacy (AHDA) is talking to legislators to stress the need for more research that ultimately
could benefit patients. Members of the organization are
following up with 132 lawmakers whom they visited on
Capitol Hill on February 11, 2014. Approximately 85
people, including neurologists and advocates for patients
with cluster headache and migraine, took part in this
annual event known as Headache on the Hill.
The AHDA went to Washington this year with three
goals. The first was to ensure that the NIH includes at
least three members with expertise in headache on a per-
manent peer review study section panel that reviews grant
proposals for headache research. The second goal was to
persuade the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
to reimburse patients who receive oxygen as a treatment
for cluster headache. The AHDA’s final goal was for the
Senate to make research on chronic migraine and post-
concussive headache eligible for federal funding from the
Congressionally Directed Medical Research Program.
Previous visits to Capitol Hill have resulted in several
accomplishments, said William Young, MD, Professor
of Neurology at Thomas Jefferson University in Phila-
delphia and a member of the AHDA’s executive com-
mittee. At the group’s urging, NIH began tracking its
funding of migraine and headache research, Dr. Young
told Neurology Reviews. On five occasions, the AHDA
persuaded Congress to include report language in the
congressional record that supported increasing NIH
funding for research on headache disorders.
Members of the AHDA include professional organiza-
tions such as the American Academy of Neurology, the
Neurologists and Patient Groups Seek
More Funds for Headache Research
Serving the Neurology Community Since 1993
continued on page 4
Mildly Elevated Blood Pressure
7 May Increase Risk for Stroke
Blood Test May Detect
15 Cognitive Decline
Intervention for Unruptured
18 Arteriovenous Malformations?
Clinicians Beat Scales and Scores
23 in Predicting ICH Outcomes
Are New AEDs More Effective
27 Than Older Drugs?
35 May Have a Treatable Cause
How Safe Are AEDs
Inside This Issue