Advancing migraine care—one pharmacist at a time

Since receiving the Canadian Foundation for Pharmacy’s Wellspring Pharmacy Leadership Award in 2023, pharmacist Heba BaniHani has continued to expand her impact in migraine and headache care—both in Canada and abroad. The award grant helped her to pursue a Master’s in Headache Disorders at the University of Copenhagen, where she made history as the first pharmacist to graduate from the program.

“That made it possible for other pharmacists from around the world to apply,” she says, noting that she has already been approached by interested pharmacists asking about her experiences there.

Her master’s thesis explored the role of pharmacists in primary care settings to support people living with headache disorders. The thesis led to a position statement on the untapped role of pharmacists and a call for action to all interested in improving headache care, urging collaboration and advancing knowledge for pharmacists. It was endorsed by the European Headache Federation, the World Health Organization’s Lifting the Burden campaign and the International Pharmaceutical Federation (FIP).

From research to real-world change

Building on that work, BaniHani presented at the International Headache Congress in São Paulo earlier this year, highlighting the pharmacist’s scope of practice and the value of pharmacy-based headache resources. She also continues to collaborate with FIP on a new international research group dedicated to translating the recommendations of the position statement into practical models for patient care.

At the same time, she has been finalizing another major project with the WHO’s Lifting the Burden campaign—an extensive global analysis of headache medications soon to be published in a leading academic journal. “This kind of data will help policymakers and health systems understand where the gaps are and how pharmacists can fill them,” she says.

At home, BaniHani continues to educate and inspire pharmacists across the country as a conference speaker and educator. Her virtual migraine practice continues to serve patients across Canada, offering one-on-one consultations and ongoing care coordination with physicians. She also supports more than 3,500 patients through her collaboration with Migraine Canada, advocating for timely access to care and better treatment options.

BaniHani is expanding her global reach which has  included a series of 16 webinars educating healthcare professionals around the world that has reached more than 6,000 unique viewers, a four-part series of webinars for pharmacists in Ireland in collaboration with Migraine Ireland. Her next project takes her to Kenya, where she’s collaborating with the International Headache Society on a new initiative to equip pharmacists and community health promoters with simple, evidence-based tools to educate and support people living with headache disorders. “In many regions, people don’t even realize that migraine is treatable,” she says. “We want to change that through local education and better access to affordable care.”

Even in Canada, the average wait time to see a headache specialist is two years. Until then, patients are left with no proper support. Through her virtual practice, research and global advocacy, BaniHani is more determined than ever to ensure no one living with migraine or headache disorder feels dismissed or overlooked. “We have the education and expertise, we have the access—and now, we have the evidence to show the impact we can make.”

Read more on BaniHani’s migraine efforts.