HEADACHE Act

This bill, known as the Headache Education, Access, Diagnosis, and Care Health Equity Act or the HEADACHE Act , aims to significantly improve the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of headache disorders. It broadly defines these conditions to include migraine, cluster headache, and those secondary to long COVID or traumatic brain injury, affecting various vulnerable populations. The legislation directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services to establish a National Headache Disorders Initiative (NHDI) . This comprehensive NHDI program will address the medical, societal, and economic impacts of headache disorders by increasing the clinical and research workforce, coordinating federal efforts, and ensuring adequate resources for research. The NHDI will prioritize innovative therapeutics, improve diagnosis and care coordination, enhance data collection to address disparities, and reduce stigma through public awareness. The bill also mandates the creation of an Advisory Council on Headache Disorders Research, Care, and Services to advise the Secretary. This Council will comprise federal experts and 12 non-federal members, including patient advocates and healthcare providers, meeting at least quarterly for two years and holding an annual research meeting. Finally, the bill mandates data sharing among federal agencies and with non-federal sources to support an annual report to Congress . This report will evaluate federally funded efforts, assess program performance, identify disparities, and provide recommendations for priority actions, including a national plan to address headache disorders, before the Act sunsets in five years.