An Ambitious Study to make Botox Affordable

In spite of its popularity, Botox treatment for migraine still has a long way to go. We need not only better evidence, we need to know how to better use it, and who will benefit most. And, of course, it would be great if the cost were lower!

A study in Norway and the USA is setting ambitious goals to answer some of these questions.

You may remember last fall when we talked about how researchers were trying to find ways to predict who Botox would work for. Also, about a year ago, researchers were trying a new approach with a lower dosage of Botox.

That method was a “follow the pain” approach. The new study is a “follow the sutures” approach. Sutures are the places where the bones of your skull join together.

We won’t hear the results of the study for some time, but the goals tell us something about what researchers want to do with this treatment . . .

• Gather better evidence
• Find a more effective procedure
• Use half of the injection sites
• Lower the cost by half
• Minimize side effects

Other than the new injection sites, researchers are diluting the dosage, which should allow the medicine to spread well to where it’s needed even though it’s a lower dose.

We should be encouraged that researchers are looking for ways to make treatments that are helping people better and cheaper.

To read about the trial, see “Follow the Sutures”. A New Procedure for Injection of Botulinum Toxin for Chronic Migraine.