View and Perspective
Naming Migraine and Those Who Have It
William B. Young, MD, FAHS, FAAN; Joanna Kempner, PhD; Elizabeth W. Loder, MD; Jason Roberts, PhD;
Judy Z. Segal, PhD; Miriam Solomon, PhD; Roger K. Cady, MD; Laura Janoff, BA; Robert D. Sheeler, MD;
Teri Robert, PhD; Jennifer Yocum, RN; Fred D. Sheftell, MD
Medical language has implications for both public perception of and institutional responses to illness. A consensus panel
of physicians, academics, advocates, and patients with diverse experiences and knowledge about migraine considered 3
questions: (1) What is migraine: an illness, disease, syndrome, condition, disorder, or susceptibility? (2) What ought we call
someone with migraine? (3) What should we not call someone with migraine? Although consensus was not reached, the
From Department of Neurology,Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA (W.B.Young); Department of Sociology,
Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA (J. Kempner); Division of Headache and Pain, John R. Graham Headache Center,
Boston, MA, USA (E.W. Loder); Headache, Plymouth, MA, USA (J. Roberts); Department of English, University of British
Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada (J.Z. Segal); Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, USA (M. Solomon); Headache Care Center,
Springfield, MO, USA (R.K. Cady); Philadelphia, PA, USA (L. Janoff); Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA (R.D. Sheeler);
Patient advocate,Washington,WV, USA (T. Robert); Department of Nursing,Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia,
PA, USA (J.Yocum); New England Center for Headache Stamford, Stamford, CT, USA (F.D. Sheftell).
Address all correspondence to W.B.Young, Headache Center,Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 111 South Eleventh Street,
Gibbon Building, Suite #8130, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA.
Accepted for publication June 18, 2011.
Disclosures: Dr. W. Young is responsible for conception and design, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the manuscript,
revising the manuscript for intellectual content, and final approval of the completed manuscript. Drs. J. Kempner and E. Loder are
responsible for conception and design, the acquisition of data (creation of data), analysis and interpretation of data, drafting the
manuscript, revising the manuscript for intellectual content, and final approval of the completed manuscript. Drs. J. Roberts, J. Segal,
M. Solomon, R. Cady, and T. Robert are responsible for the acquisition of data (creation of data), analysis and interpretation of data,
drafting the manuscript, and final approval of the completed manuscript. L. Janoff, Dr. R. Sheeler, J.Yocum, and Dr. F. Sheftell are
responsible for the acquisition of data (creation of data), analysis and interpretation of data, revising the manuscript for intellectual
content, and final approval of the completed manuscript.
Conflict of Interest: Dr. W. Young has received funding for travel and speaker honoraria from Allergan, GlaxoSmithKline, Iroco,
Merck, and Zogenix; serves as a consultant for Merz Pharmaceuticals; received research support from AGA Medical, Advanced
Bionics,Advanced Neuromodulation Systems,Allergan, Capnia, Chorus (Lilly), Eli Lilly, Endo Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline,
MAP Pharmaceuticals, Medtronic, Minster, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke/National Institutes of Health,
NuPathe, and Valeant; and receives royalties from Migraine and Other Headaches (2004) published by Demos Medical. Dr.
J. Kempner reports no disclosures. Dr. E. Loder serves as research editor for the British Medical Journal. Dr. J. Roberts is employed
as the Executive Editor of Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain. Drs. J. Segal and M. Solomon report no disclosures.
Dr. R. Cady received funding for travel and speaker honoraria from Astellas, Endo Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, KOWA
Pharmaceuticals, MAP Pharmaceuticals, Meda Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Minster, Nautilus Neuroscience, NuPathe, Ortho-McNeil
Neurologics, Prometheus Labs, and Zogenix; received research support from Advanced Neuromodulation, Allergan, AstraZeneca,
Boston Scientific, Endo Pharmaceuticals, GlaxoSmithKline, Johnson & Johnson, MAP Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Puramed Bio-
Science,Wyeth, and Zogenix; and receives royalties from publishing and does hold some patents. L. Janoff, Dr. R. Sheeler, Dr.
T. Robert, and J. Yocum report no conflict. Dr. F. Sheftell has served on advisory boards for GlaxoSmithKline, Merck, MAP
Pharmaceuticals, NuPathe, Optinose, and Novartis; is on the speaker’s bureaus for Merck and GlaxoSmithKline; has received
grant support from Pfizer; has an intellectual property patent for montelukast and leukotriene modifiers for migraine and
neuroinflammatory disorders; and is an associate editor for the journal Headache Currents.
ISSN 0017-8748
doi: 10.1111/j.1526-4610.2011.01995.x
Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Headache
© 2011 American Headache Society
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