What is the Headache Disease Policy Action Network?
The Headache Disease Policy Advocacy Network (HDPAN) is a new multi-stakeholder group
working together to create, implement, and support advocacy and policy initiatives that benefit
the headache disease community. HDPAN (pronounced head pain) was formed in early 2021
with an ambitious goal in mind: launching a four-year strategic plan that would take a proactive
approach to advocacy to make real and strategic gains while the community continued to
address regular policy and access challenges. The thought of any patient living in pain and
unable to access relief motivated our decisions. We’ve had individual successes addressing
state-based issues as they arise, but we know policy changes come from the top down. We
must focus on system-wide change.
The headache disorder and migraine disease community is growing. As more achieve diagnosis
and begin to seek care, advocates for health are stepping forward and stepping up. This has
presented opportunities to not only advance research and raise public awareness but also shed
light on the need for meaningful policies that can help headache and migraine patients access
much-needed care.
Why Advocacy Matters
In recent years, the migraine community has been called to action with intensifying frequency.
Longtime advocates have been joined by newer groups to address complex value assessments,
raise awareness with and increase support from Capitol Hill, and break down payer access
challenges to innovative treatment options. We have made partnerships with like-minded
advocates in other communities such as the veterans’ population. We have acknowledged
disparities in care and sought to address them. At every turn, the community has risen to the
occasion, set record levels of patient and clinician engagement, and created change.
As advocacy efforts have deepened, adding new members and successes, there has also been
an increased need to have a network to serve as strategic counsel to help identify ways the
community could better leverage capacity on advocacy and policy initiatives. No single group
can do this work alone – but we can find more ways to cross-collaborate in order to maximize
resources and get to goals faster.
Join Us on June 16
On June 16th, HDPAN will be asking all of our migraine and headache community advocates,
friends, family, and supporters to join us by taking part in our first annual Advocacy Day of
Action. On this day, you will be reaching out to your Representative in Congress to ask for their
support of a House Resolution (H.Res), designating June 2021 as Migraine and Headache
Awareness Month. This Resolution will serve to educate our Representatives about the
substantial impact of migraine and headache disease has on our community and show their
support for us. This Resolution is being led by Representative Madeleine Dean (D-PA-4th).
Sign up to join the virtual webinar on June 14th to learn more about this day.
Be a part of advocacy action and join our Voter Voice Campaign!
