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Review
. 2024 Jan 4;25(1):4.
doi: 10.1186/s10194-023-01700-3.

The World Health Organization Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders and the headache revolution: from headache burden to a global action plan for headache disorders

Matilde Leonardi  1 , Paolo Martelletti  2 , Rami Burstein  3 , Arianna Fornari  4 , Licia Grazzi  5 , Alla Guekht  6 , Richard B Lipton  7 , Dimos Dimitrios Mitsikostas  8 , Jes Olesen  9 , Mayowa Ojo Owolabi  10 , Elena Ruiz De la Torre  11 , Simona Sacco  12 , Timothy J Steiner  13   14   15 , Nirmal Surya  16 , Takao Takeshima  17 , Cristina Tassorelli  18   19 , Shuu-Jiun Wang  20   21 , Tissa Wijeratne  22   23 , Shengyuan Yu  24 , Alberto Raggi  4
Affiliations
Review

The World Health Organization Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders and the headache revolution: from headache burden to a global action plan for headache disorders

Matilde Leonardi et al. J Headache Pain. .

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders was developed by WHO to address the worldwide challenges and gaps in provision of care and services for people with epilepsy and other neurological disorders and to ensure a comprehensive, coordinated response across sectors to the burden of neurologic diseases and to promote brain health across life-course. Headache disorders constitute the second most burdensome of all neurological diseases after stroke, but the first if young and midlife adults are taken into account. Despite the availability of a range of treatments, disability associated with headache disorders, and with migraine, remains very high. In addition, there are inequalities between high-income and low and middle income countries in access to medical care. In line with several brain health initiatives following the WHOiGAP resolution, herein we tailor the main pillars of the action plan to headache disorders: (1) raising policy prioritization and strengthen governance; (2) providing effective, timely and responsive diagnosis, treatment and care; (3) implementing strategies for promotion and prevention; (4) fostering research and innovation and strengthen information systems. Specific targets for future policy actions are proposed. The Global Action Plan triggered a revolution in neurology, not only by increasing public awareness of brain disorders and brain health but also by boosting the number of neurologists in training, raising research funding and making neurology a public health priority for policy makers. Reducing the burden of headache disorders will not only improve the quality of life and wellbeing of people with headache but also reduce the burden of neurological disorders increasing global brain health and, thus, global population health.

Keywords: Brain health; Global burden of disease study; Global campaign against headache; Health promotion; Migraine; Tension-type headache; World Health Organization.

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Conflict of interest statement

ML: Associate Editor of The Journal of Headache and Pain. PM: Editor-in-Chief of The Journal of Headache and Pain and of SN Comprehensive Clinical Medicine; EU Expert, European Medicines Agency. RB: research support from the NIH, Allergan, Teva, Dr. Ready, Eli Lilly, Trigeminal and the Migraine Research Foundation. He is a reviewer for NINDS, holds stock options in AllayLamp, Theranica and Percept; serves as consultant, advisory board member, or has received honoraria from Alder, Allergan, Amgen, Autonomic Technologies, Avanir, Biohaven, CGRP diagnostic, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratory, ElectroCore, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, Pernix, Theranica, Teva, and Trigemina; CME fees from Healthlogix, Medlogix, WebMD/Medscape, and Patents 9061025, 11732265.1, 10806890, US2021-0015908, WO21007165, US2021-0128724, WO21005497. LG: consultancy and advisory fees from Abbvie-AllerganSpA, Lundbeck, Novartis, EliLilly, TEVA Pharm, Pfizer. AG: Elected Trustee, World Federation of Neurology; Treasurer, International League against Epilepsy; Board member: Neurological Sciences (associate editor), European Journal of Neurology, Epilepsy and Behavior, Journal of Neurological Sciences. RL: has received research support from the National Institutes of Health, the FDA, and the National Headache Foundation. He serves as consultant, advisory board member, or has received honoraria or research support from AbbVie/Allergan, Amgen, Biohaven, Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (Promius), electroCore, Eli Lilly, GlaxoSmithKline, Lundbeck, Merck, Novartis, Teva, Vector, and Vedanta Research. He receives royalties from Wolff’s Headache, 8th edition (Oxford University Press, 2009), and Informa. He holds stock in Biohaven and Manistee. DDM: honoraria, research, and travel grants from Allergan/Abbvie, Amgen, Biogen, Cefaly, Genesis Pharma, Eli Lilly, Electrocore, Lundbeck, Mertz, Merk-Serono, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, Specifar, and Teva; he participated in clinical trials for Amgen, Novartis, Cefaly, Eli Lilly, Electrocore, Genesis Pharma, Lundbeck, Mertz, Specifar, and Teva as principal investigator; he is President of the Hellenic Headache Society and Co-chairman of the Headache Scientific Panel at the European Academy of Neurology. JO: stock owner in Cephagenix and Lundbeck. SS: personal fees as speaker or advisor by Abbott, Allergan-Abbvie, AstraZeneca, Boheringer, Eli Lilly, Lundbeck, Novartis, NovoNordisk, Pfizer, Teva; research grants by Novartis, Uriach; president elect European Stroke Organization, second vice president of the European Headache Federation, specialty chief editor in Headache and Neurogenic Pain for Frontiers in Neurology, associate editor for The Journal of Headache and Pain, assistant editor for Stroke. TJS: Director of the Global Campaign against Headache. NS: Chairman, Surya Neuro Center; Founder Trustee & Chairman, Epilepsy Foundation India; Fellow, Indian Academy of Neurology; Member, Academy of Medical Sciences; Fellow, American Academy of Neurology; President, Indian Federation Of Neuro - Rehabilitation (IFNR); Regional Vice President, World Federation Neuro-Rehabilitation (WFNR); Past President, Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN); President Elect, Indian Stroke Association (ISA); Chair, Developing World Forum; President Elect, Asian Oceanian Society of Neurorehabilitation (AOSNR); Chair, Telemedicine Academy Indian Confederation For Healthcare Accreditation (ICHA); Member, Digital Strategy Subcommittee (DSS) American Academy of Neurology (AAN 2021-2023); President, WCNR2018Mumbai; Treasurer, Indian Academy of Neurology (IAN) 2014-2020; Executive Member, Indian Stroke Association (2018-2021); Past President, Bombay Neurosciences Association; Past President, Maharastra Association of Neurology. TT: Takao Takeshima is a consultant/advisor for Hedgehog MedTech and Sawai, and has received speaker honoraria from Eli Lilly, Daiichi Sankyo, Otsuka, Amgen. CT: honoraria for the participation in advisor boards or for speaking in scientific symposia from Allergan/Abbvie, Dompé, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Lundbeck, Pfizer, Biohaven, Teva, WebMD; research support from AbbVie, Dompé, Migraine Research Foundation, Italian Ministry of Health, EU Commission; payments for Clinical trials from Allergan/Abbvie, Amgen, Lilly, Novartis, Lundbeck, Pfizer, Biohaven and Teva; she is President of the International Headache Society and co-sponsor of the initiative ‘Headache research Priorities’ in collaboration with AHS. S-JW: honoraria as a moderator from AbbVie, Pfizer, Eli Lilly and Biogen; PI in trials sponsored by AbbVie, Novartis, Eli Lilly and Lundbeck; Research grants from the Taiwan National Science and Technology Council, Brain Research Center, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University from The Featured Areas Research Center Program within the framework of the Higher Education Sprout Project by the Ministry of Education (MOE) in Taiwan, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan Headache Society and Taiwan branches of Eli Lillyand Novartis. AR: editorial board member of The Journal of Headache and Pain. AF, MOO, ERdlT, and TW declare no competing interests.

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