Reader's Response of "Proposed Solution"

Works Cited 

Singer, Natasha. "Botox Shops Approved for Migraine." Editorial. The New York Times, Health sec.: B1. The New York Times. Web. 16 Oct. 2010.

Link:

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/16/health/16drug.html?ref=health&pagewanted=print

Reader's Response 

In the article, "Botox Shops Approved for Migraine" in the New York Times the author discusses the FDA's new drug approval. The new solution of chronic migraines is a shot of Botox. Allergan produces Botox as an anti-wrinkle fix. Yet, a month earlier Allergan consented to pay $600 million for apparently going against the law in order to advertise Botox for headaches.

The article is very successful in presenting the background of the drug and the two studies that went into the FDA’s approval. This article did not gloss over the fact that the first study did not prove that the drug improved chronic migraines. Due to this outcome, the study was revised in order to look at “The number of headaches days rather than the number of headache episodes that a person experienced each month” (Singer). This study had a statistically significant difference of 2.3 less headaches (Singer). Then the study ended with the limits and the side effects of Botox.

The new solution for chronic headaches is interesting. In the second study, Botox showed a significant improvement in the number of headache days. However, the side effects included headaches and neck pains (Singer). If you are trying to improve migraines, how can you a side effect of headaches? In essence, migraines are severe headaches. It seems ridiculous to say that Botox can improve a severe headache, but may cause headaches. Neck pains can actually cause headaches in themselves, because they are pressures on the nerves in the neck. For some the side effect of fewer wrinkles is one of the main benefits of Botox.

More studies need to be done on Botox to see if the drug actually improves the number of migraines for those that suffer from chronic migraines. These studies need to back up that the side effects of Botox do not undermine the claim that the number of migraine days is lowered.
            Overall the article is successful in giving the background information of Botox and the studies done that affected FDA’s approval over Botox. The solution for chronic migraines being Botox is not reasonable if the side effects are undermining the ‘solution.’