Comment from Michelle Nakash

As someone recovering from a severe concussion and constant migraine state, I know firsthand how critical timely access to migraine medication can be. During neurological illness, delays in care, difficulty accessing specialists, and barriers to prescriptions can make already disabling symptoms even harder to manage. Triptans have been used safely for over 30 years and have helped millions of people manage debilitating migraines that can completely disrupt work, parenting, travel, and daily life. These medications are already available over the counter in the UK, Germany, and other countries, showing there is already a clear precedent for safe consumer access with proper labeling and guidance. Making triptans available over the counter in the United States would improve access to effective migraine treatment, especially because many people do not have access to headache specialists or even timely neurology appointments. Migraines are extremely common, yet patients are often left waiting months for care while continuing to suffer or ending up in urgent care or the ER simply because they cannot get a prescription in time.