Building a health information platform to help the public cope with migraine and provide free online assessments and professional follow-up

HONG KONG SAR - Media OutReach Newswire - 14 October 2024 - Migraine is a common type of moderate to severe headache, with more severe pains having an adverse impact on people's daily lives¹. Research² has shown that around 12.5% of Hong Kong's population suffers from migraine, especially among people aged 18 to 44³. Furthermore, women are three to four times more likely to suffer from migraine than men⁴. In response, CUHK Medical Centre ("CUHKMC"), FWD Hong Kong ("FWD"), and Pfizer Hong Kong collaborate to raise awareness and help the public to cope with migraine. FWD MAX lifestyle experience platform (fwdmax.fwd.com.hk) will publish a series of information on migraine and provide a free online migraine assessment. The first 50 users who meet the relevant health conditions can also receive a free migraine assessment service provided by the Clinical Neuroscience Centre of CUHKMC⁵, encouraging users to seek professional assistance and follow-up at the earliest opportunity.

FWD MAX launches free online assessment to identify migraine risks early

Many patients lack a full understanding of migraine, and incorrectly dismiss it as common headache to be cured by taking painkillers by themselves. This not only fails to address the real underlying issue, but risks making it worse through overuse of painkillers. To help the public identify and strengthen their understanding of migraine earlier, FWD MAX will continue to provide relevant health information and offer a free online migraine assessment. Users will be able to gain insights into their migraine health by answering five simple questions.

Ken Lau, Managing Director of Greater China and Hong Kong Chief Executive Officer, FWD, said: "Urban dwellers live busy lifestyles and easily fall into the habit of neglecting their health. As an insurance company, FWD fully understands the importance of early diagnosis and treatment when it comes to effective health management. We provide comprehensive medical protection products and services, and actively collaborate with various medical institutions, covering services from prevention and treatment to rehabilitation stages. Our collaboration with CUHKMC and Pfizer Hong Kong specifically aims to enhance public awareness of migraine, hoping to encourage users in need to actively seek professional assistance, address their migraine troubles, and live a healthy life."

Don't ignore migraine: early treatment brings relief, information platform empowers prevention

Migraine is a common neurological disease. Patients experience severe headaches, usually coupled with nausea or vomiting, and it can last up to 72 hours at its worst, preventing patients from working or living normally. The causes of migraine, however, are complicated. Family history, hormonal changes in women, lack of sleep, stress, anxiety, smoking, and even weather changes can all trigger migraine. Early treatment is especially important for controlling migraine because it alleviates symptoms more effectively, while also reducing both the frequency and severity of attacks. CUHKMC and Pfizer Hong Kong will regularly share professional information on FWD MAX to help patients understand the causes, symptoms, and treatments of migraine, empowering them to master the way of preventive care.

Dr Hong Fung, Chief Executive Officer of CUHK Medical Centre, said, "CUHKMC is committed to promoting public health education and enhancing public awareness towards diseases, as well as the importance of prevention and early treatment, which can ultimately improve the population health in the long run. This time, we are pleased to collaborate with FWD Hong Kong and Pfizer Hong Kong, enabling more people to pay attention to migraine issues. This initiative helps those with migraine risks to be aware of their own conditions earlier and receive appropriate treatment advice through the programme, preventing the problem from worsening due to delayed treatment."

Three institutions join hands to promote and raise public awareness of migraine, one of the world's most common diseases

"We are excited to join forces with CUHKMC and FWD Hong Kong in the fight against migraine and help those patients impacted by this debilitating neurological disease," said Krishnamoorthy Sundaresan, General Manager, Pfizer Hong Kong and Macau. "We believe this partnership will significantly increase public awareness on the disease and the subsequent burden, in order to co-create a more supportive environment for patients living with migraine pain."

Free online assessment for the first 50 users who meet the relevant health conditions to receive a free migraine assessment service

Visit https://fwdmax.fwd.com.hk/en/Events/migraine2024 or download the FWD MAX app to learn about migraine and take the online migraine assessment. All users who complete the online assessment will receive a convenience store e-cash coupon worth HKD20. The first 50 users who meet relevant health conditions can also receive a free migraine assessment service (valued at HKD500)⁵ provided by the Clinical Neuroscience Centre of CUHKMC, encouraging users to seek early professional assistance and follow-up.

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1 NHS. Migraine: Overview. Available at: www.nhs.uk/conditions/migraine/. Accessed Feb 2023; Peters GL. Am J Manag Care 2019;25:S23-S34; Pescador Ruschel MA, De Jesus O. Migraine Headaches. Available at: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK560787/. Accessed Feb 2023; Mayo Clinic. Migraine: Symptoms & causes. Available at: www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20360201. Accessed Feb 2023; National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Headache. Available at: www.ninds.nih.gov/health-information/disorders/headache. Accessed Feb 2023;
2 Cheung, Raymond TF. Headache: The Journal of Head and Face Pain 40.6 (2000): 473-479.
3 Peters GL. Am J Manag Care 2019;25:S23-S34.
4 Al-Hassany L, Haas J, et al. Frontiers in Neurology. 2020;11:549038.
5 Terms and conditions apply, available while stocks last. FWD Life, in its sole discretion, determines the qualification for receiving the prize. The e-coupon will be credited into users' registered FWD MAX account's "Just for you" wallet within 30 days. Migraine assessment service is provided by the CUHK Medical Centre. The first 50 eligible participants will receive a redemption letter 10 working days after completing the questionnaire. The redemption letter will be sent by FWD MAX to the users' registered FWD MAX email address. Please refer to the redemption letter for the redemption and booking details.
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About CUHK Medical Centre

CUHK Medical Centre (CUHKMC) is a non-profit, private teaching hospital wholly owned by The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). With a social mission to bridge the service gap between the private and public healthcare systems in Hong Kong, CUHKMC is dedicated to offering quality healthcare service at transparent and affordable package fees. In line with the not-for-profit principle, all surpluses from the Hospital will be ploughed back to the Hospital for hospital development and the CUHK Faculty of Medicine for research and teaching.

About FWD Hong Kong

FWD Hong Kong is part of the FWD Group, a pan-Asian life and health insurance business with more than 12 million customers across 10 markets, including some of the fastest-growing insurance markets in the world. FWD is a top five insurer in Hong Kong*.

FWD Hong Kong has been assigned strong financial ratings by international agencies. It offers life and medical insurance, employee benefits, and financial planning.

The company was established in 2013 and is focused on making the insurance journey simpler, faster and smoother, with innovative propositions and easy-to-understand products, supported by digital technology. Through this customer-led approach, FWD is committed to changing the way people feel about insurance.

For more information about FWD Hong Kong please visit www.fwd.com.hk.

*According to Provisional Statistics on Hong Kong Long Term Insurance Business - January to December in 2023, Insurance Authority of Hong Kong, 《Pi Financial Services Intelligence report》- December 2022 and December 2023, as well as FWD's own assessment based on its understanding on the statistics and market information, FWD ranks top five in new business case count, net growth of life insurance intermediaries' headcount, tied agency channel new business FYP, brokerage channel new business FYP, bancassurance channel new business FYP, as well as online and direct platform new business case count.

About Pfizer Hong Kong

At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery, development and manufacture of health care products, including innovative medicines and vaccines. Every day, Pfizer colleagues work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness, prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with health care providers, governments and local communities to support and expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For 175 years, we have worked to make a difference for all who rely on us. To learn more, please visit us on www.pfizer.com.hk and follow us on YouTube at www.youtube.com/c/pfizerhongkong.