Biohaven and the American Migraine Foundation are linking migraine to mental health in a new study. Eighty-four percent of people who suffer from migraines and 92% of doctors who treat them say worsening migraines lead to declines in mental health. While that may not be surprising — chronic pain often impacts mental well-being — the study also found unexpected disconnects between the patients with migraine and the HCPs who treat them.
Larry Newman
While two-thirds of patients believe it’s important to discuss mental health with their doctors, about 60% say they have to raise the topic themselves. Meanwhile, 70% of HCPs said they often, if not always, ask patients about mental health.
HCPS also underestimated the percentage of patients with depression and anxiety disorders, the
research
found. Patients self-reported diagnosed depression among 57% and anxiety among 50% of them, while doctors estimated depression occurs in 29% of patients and anxiety in 30%.
“Closing the gaps in communication between healthcare professionals and their patients can help improve migraine and mental health management,” said Larry Newman, professor of neurology at NYU Grossman School of Medicine and chair of the migraine foundation.
Bausch + Lomb introduces TikTok dance challenge for Lumify eye drops
Eyecare brand Bausch + Lomb is asking people to dance with their eyes in a new TikTok challenge for its Lumify OTC brand to treat eye redness. To enter the competition running through the end of August, consumers need to film a video of their eyes dancing to a Lumify song — lyrics include “Lumify, Lumify, drop, drop, drop, drop” — and post it on TikTok. Bausch + Lomb enlisted well-known social media influencers to go first in a post on TikTok to kick off the challenge.
Along with the “dance” challenge
campaign
, Bausch + Lomb is undertaking a national sampling tour every weekend in August to four cities — Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and New York. And they’re taking the Lumify branded tiny home to each one to offer refreshments, makeup sessions and influencer meet and greets along with free samples of the drops.
Drug ad claims disputed by Kaiser Health and Politico
A new political ad from a conservative group called American Commitment, and funded in part by pharma trade group PhRMA, has been rated “false” in a
report
from
Kaiser Health News
and
Politifact
. KHN reported the group received $505,000 from PhRMA in the 2020 election cycle according to the Open Secrets database.
The recent TV ad claims Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and AARP support legislation that would drain “billions in funds” from Medicare, KHN said.
American Commitment did not respond to KHN’s request for comment instead, its CEO went on Twitter, tagged the KHN reporter and posted her inquiry, calling her question referring to price negotiations “dishonest.”
Both Manchin and AARP disputed the ad, with Manchin’s communications director telling KHN, “This ad funded by Big Pharma is blatantly lying about Sen. Manchin’s record.”
GSK consumer spinoff Haleon brand Nicorette encourages smokers to take music breaks instead
One of Haleon’s first ad campaigns as an independent consumer healthcare company launched last week to quit smoking with OTC med Nicorette. The “SmokeLess Break Beats”
campaign
looks to flip the script on traditional smoke breaks and turn them into soothing music breaks.
Haleon partnered with Berklee Music and Health Institute students and faculty to design eight original music tracks and use scientific research about smoking addiction in doing so.
The playlist is free on Spotify and Haleon hopes smokers will download and play in replacing the average of three 15-minute breaks smokers take daily.
Google delays third-party cookie retirement — again
Google is once again delaying the phase-out of third-party cookies, this time moving the change from 2023 back to 2024. Google privacy chief Anthony Chavez said in a blog
post
last week that advertisers need more time. The disabling of third-party cookies — a longtime targeting method for brands including pharma — means brands will have to rely more on first-party connections and so-called cookieless solutions such as contextual advertising.
Ogilvy Health taps new client leader
Tyler Montague
Industry veteran Tyler Montague is joining Ogilvy Health as executive VP and client leader. He will also serve on the agency’s executive leadership team, reporting directly to Ogilvy Health global CEO Kim Johnson.
Montague joins from OptiBrand Rx, previously holding client and account roles at Saatchi & Saatchi Wellness, Grey Group and Deutsch. Montague also led the campaign development of several notable pharma brands including Humira, Cialis and Lipitor.
Johnson said in a press release, “Tyler has a strong foundation in driving health brand and customer experience integration by leveraging insight and creativity to produce better outcomes for clients’ businesses.”