Headed for the Future – An IHS Documentary Series

The documentary series Headed for the Future was created to raise awareness about headache disorders, highlighting their profound impact on individuals and society. It also underscores the critical role of science and research in improving the quality of life for those affected. The documentary series was produced with the financial support from H. Lundbeck A/S.

Across four episodes, the documentary covers various aspects of migraine, while also shedding light on one of the world’s most excruciating conditions – cluster headache.

The episodes will be released during June 2025, which is recognised as Migraine Awareness Month in many countries.

Watch the Trailer on the IHS YouTube Channel. See details of all four episodes below.

Episode release:

6 June 2025: Episode 1: Pain & Prejudice
13 June 2025: Episode 2: Gain without Pain
20 June 2025: Episode 3: The Road Taken
27 June 2025: Episode 4: Rising Expectations

Episode 1 – Pain & Prejudice

Migraine is a debilitating neurological condition that affects over 1 billion people worldwide, with an estimated 14–15% of the global population experiencing it. Women are three times more likely than men to suffer from migraines, highlighting a significant gender disparity. In the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 (GBD2010), migraine was ranked as the third most prevalent disorder globally. Despite its prevalence and impact, migraine remains widely misunderstood and often trivialized. This leads to substantial social and medical challenges, as many people with migraine struggle to access appropriate care and support.

In this episode, Anette, a woman on the brink of being ordained as a priest in Sweden, shares her journey of living with severe migraines since childhood. Her story is one of suffering and setbacks, but also of acceptance, perseverance, and hope. To shed light on the magnitude of this condition, four neurologists – Professor Cristina Tassorelli (Italy), Professor Robert Shapiro (USA), assistant Professor Jelena Pavlovic (USA) and Professor Christian Lampl (Austria) – join the conversation. Additionally, Elena Ruiz de La Torre (Spain), the leader of the patient advocacy organization European Migraine and Headache Alliance, and Heather Phlilips, Director of Programs and Advocacy at the American Migraine Foundation, offer valuable insights into how misconceptions and stigma prevent many individuals from receiving the treatment and support they need.

Episode 2 – Gain without Pain

Migraine is a serious health condition with profound workplace implications, costing e.g the European economy an estimated €50 billion annually. Remarkably, 93% of these costs are attributed to lost productivity, with healthcare expenses representing only a small fraction. Absenteeism and presenteeism (working while impaired by symptoms) are the primary contributors to these losses. There is a solution to this challenge: in addition to ensuring effective headache care within healthcare systems, employers have a critical role to play. By creating migraine-friendly workplaces, organizations can significantly improve the quality of life for employees with migraine while enhancing overall productivity.

In this episode, we hear the personal stories of Heather (USA) and Bridget (USA), who recount their experiences of facing prejudice in the workplace and at university. Their accounts highlight the urgent need for better awareness and support. To provide clinical and scientific perspectives, neurologists Professor Robert Shapiro (USA), Dr Olivia Begasse de Dhaem (USA), and Professor Antoinette Maassen van den Brink (the Netherlands) share their expertise. Additionally, Elena Ruiz de La Torre (Spain) passionately advocates for the benefits of fostering migraine-friendly workplaces. This approach is exemplified by BBVA, a Spanish multinational financial services company. BBVA executives Susana López Arias and Imma Catalá Ortuño, along with Araceli Morati Martín, head of the company’s labour health department, emphasize how addressing migraines among employees is more than a health issue – it’s a strategic investment in employee well-being and organizational success.

Episode 3 – The Road Taken

Treatments for migraine have been available for some time, but they often come with significant side effects and limited efficacy. For decades, there has been an urgent need to develop new classes of migraine-specific drugs. A groundbreaking advancement was achieved when four internationally renowned neuroscientists – Professor Lars Edvinsson (Sweden), Professor Peter Goadsby (UK/USA), Professor Michael Moskowitz (USA), and Professor Jes Olesen (Denmark) – identified and confirmed a key factor in migraine attacks: the calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP). This discovery, the result of over four decades of meticulous research, paved the way for the development of an entirely new class of migraine-specific drugs known as CGRP antagonists. In recognition of their groundbreaking work, the four neuroscientists were awarded the world’s most prestigious brain research honour, The Brain Prize, in 2021. This award, presented annually by the Lundbeck Foundation, celebrates extraordinary contributions to neuroscience.

In this episode, we meet the four Brain Prize winners, along with Professor Richard Morris (UK), neurologist and chair of the Brain Prize selection committee, and Johanna (Sweden), an IT specialist who has lived with chronic migraine since her teenage years. Johanna’s story underscores the life-changing significance of the CGRP discovery. Despite recent scientific breakthroughs, many questions about migraine remain unanswered. A major one is: why are women disproportionately affected by migraine? Increasing attention is being directed toward understanding the role of sex hormones in the development, frequency, and severity of migraines. One of the scientists looking into this critical area of research is Dr Kristian A. Haanes (Norway/Denmark). His work explores how hormonal factors may contribute to migraines, potentially leading to new, targeted treatments in the future. These advancements could bring hope to young migraine sufferers like Sofia (Sweden), who in this episode shares her experience of growing up with a debilitating headache disorder that significantly limits her daily life.

Episode 4 – Rising Expectations

The pursuit of new migraine treatments continues, but several fundamental questions remain unanswered by the scientific community: What distinguishes a migraine brain from a “normal” one? Why is there such a pronounced gender difference in migraine prevalence?

In this episode, leading scientists emphasize the urgent need to intensify research on migraine and other primary headache disorders, to which Lina (Sweden) is a living testament. For more than 15 years she fought her way through studies, two pregnancies and a demanding job as an ER-nurse, while suffering from up to four migraine attacks per week. Experts such as Professor Rami Burstein (USA), Professor Messoud Ashina (Denmark), and Professor Antoinette Maassen van den Brink (the Netherlands) underscore the vast unmet needs and the unprecedented opportunities for significant scientific breakthroughs. However, realizing these opportunities will require substantial funding and the recruitment of a new generation of scientists. One primary headache disorder that has historically received limited attention is cluster headache, often referred to as the “suicide headache” due to its extreme severity. This is beginning to change. Thanks to a generous donation from Swedish philanthropist Rune Andersson, the world’s foremost research centre for cluster headache has been established at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm. Under the leadership of Andrea Carmine Belin, a multidisciplinary team of scientists and physicians is working to unravel the genetic and circadian influences on cluster headaches, aiming to develop improved treatments for this debilitating condition. To address the need for fresh talent in the field, the International Headache Society (IHS) is running several programmes to attract young scientists to the study of migraine and other primary headache disorders, e.g. International Headache Academy (iHEAD). iHEAD was established to provide a platform for developing the next generation of headache specialists. A separate example is the International Conference on Advances in Migraine Sciences, initiated by Professor Messoud Ashina and launched in Copenhagen in 2022 under the auspices of IHS. This conference, with a faculty composed almost entirely of young scientists and clinicians, showcased innovative research and fostered collaboration between emerging and experienced researchers. These efforts provide hope for the future. With more researchers dedicated to the field and greater investment in migraine science, we can anticipate better treatments that will benefit billions of people worldwide and the societies they live in.