The importance of a migraine friendly workplace

With migraine awareness week, Migraine Day of Action and The International Headache Congress now just behind us, September highlights the importance of migraine, but this is the case for us every month at Teva as one of the leading pharma companies in the world within this area. As long as patients remain under-diagnosed and struggle to receive correct treatment, we remain committed to migraine in all aspects. That’s why this year, we’re proud to support the launch of EMHA’s migraine friendly workplace stamp.

Migraine as a condition

I’d like to talk a bit about what it really means to live with migraine. Teva’s commitment to migraine means I’ve dedicated time to developing awareness of the topic, understanding why it deserves greater attention. I’ve had the opportunity to speak with employees who live with migraine, which in conjunction with my ongoing work has helped me gain a better understanding and have empathy for those who suffer from it.

Unfortunately it’s still stigmatized which means it’s not received the deserved attention over the years. There are two main reasons for this: firstly, it has historically been viewed as a “woman’s disease” (due to more women being affected than men) with the unfortunate consequence of not being taken seriously enough by doctors in the past. Secondly, the word “migraine” is often misused: many still think it’s just a synonym for a bad headache.

The truth is, migraine is nothing like a headache. It’s a neurological condition that causes severe throbbing recurring pain in either one or both sides of the head. People with migraine may also feel nauseous or experience vomiting during an attack. It’s also common to experience increased sensitivity to light or noise. All in all, it’s a hellish experience each time you have an attack – patients with chronic migraine go through this at least eight days a month or more! I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.

?Migraine friendly at Teva through our EMHA partnership

With that in mind, I’m sure you’ll agree we should be doing everything we can to improve the lives of people with migraine, including the environment they work in. At Teva, we want our employees to feel comfortable when they come to the office, that they can bring their whole selves to work and not have to hide a part of who they are, whether that’s suffering from migraine, any other condition or any aspect of diversity. The launch of EMHA’s migraine friendly workplace stamp is not only unique of its kind, it also sets a precedent in terms of employers’ commitment to a chronic illness such as migraine. I certainly hope it will pave the way for others living with invisible illnesses.

Ultimately, the goal is to help patients with migraine feel more comfortable and less stigmatized at work. Designed to reduce the impact of migraine in the workplace, the new initiative recognizes companies that undertake EMHA training as well as making actionable change in the workplace. EMHA’s migraine friendly workplace stamp provides employers with tools to support their employees who suffer from migraine while highlighting their pledge to employee health and wellbeing.

?Getting the EMHA migraine friendly workplace stamp is not only important to show our commitment to migraine, but also to the health and wellbeing of our employees - ?something that complements other initiatives we’re undertaking for example around mental health. Last but not least, it fits into our diversity and inclusion agenda, which continues to be a focus for improvement here at Teva (read my post here for more).

As someone who believes in helping patients and providing them with access to the medicines they need, it makes me proud to work for a company that are devoted to help people with migraine live better lives, in all aspects.