Eurohead Project: Patients' resources

EHA - European Headache Alliance

The Need for a European Headache Alliance

A united European alliance of national advocacy groups with clearly defined aims and objectives can achieve more success at intergovernmental level than the individual member-groups can achieve on their own. Unity is Strength!

Why a European Headache Alliance is needed:

To voice the views and concerns of Headache patients across Europe to the European Union and its institutions with the aim of relieving the burden of headache internationally.
To inform the World Health Organization (WHO) of these needs with the aim of influencing WHO policy on headache disorders.
To work in partnership with any other organisations in related fields to promote common aims and goals within Europe
To co-ordinate the efforts of national advocacy groups in Europe.

EHA: Aims and Objectives

Promoting awareness and understanding of migraine and any other headache disorders.
Improving access to appropriate diagnosis and treatment for people affected by a headache disorder.

These aims will be achieved by:

Promoting the education and dissemination of information about migraine and other headache disorders
Providing accurate data on the needs of people with migraine and other headache disorders to the attention of policy and decision-makers
Promoting research on migraine and other headache disorders

Initiatives towards EHA

In September 2003, alongside the WHA Convention, an informal meeting of European patient organisations made it clear that there was great interest and belief in setting up an umbrella group of national patient associations. All present felt that such an organisation could take the lead in implementing initiatives to raise headache issues and strengthen patient advocacy in the European context.

A Steering Group was formed at a meeting in Dublin in January 2005 and since then has met on a number of occasions, to work towards an official launch in 2006.

The way forward

The following steps are viewed as important to move the creation of the EHA:

Legally establishing the EHA as a non-profit organisation;
Official Launch to the Scientific Community at European Headache Federation Congress, Valencia, April 2006;
Official Launch to the Political Community in the European Parliament later in 2006;
Develop a Plan of Action for EHA and start implementation.

EHA Steering Group Members

Audrey Craven, Migraine Association of Ireland
Colette M Andrée, Swiss Migraine Trust' Foundation
Hilkka Kettinen, Finnish Migraine Association
Elena Ruiz de la Torre, AEPAC (Asociación Española Pacientes con Cefalea) - Spain
Cristina Tassorelli, Alleanza Cefalalgici - CIRNA Foundation - Italy
Ann Turner, Migraine Action Association - UK
Peter Vriezen, Dutch Headache Patient Association
Astri Walseth, Norwegian Migraine Association