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What Is Raskin Protocol?

The Raskin Protocol is a treatment for migraine headaches developed by Dr. Neil Raskin, the former head of neurology at the Philadelphia Naval Hospital.

  1. Identification

    • The Raskin Protocol, as described by writer and patient advocate Teri Robert in her blog, "Help for Headaches & Migraine," involves the intravenous administration of 10 milligrams of Metochlopramide (Reglan)/Dihydroergotamine (DHE) every eight hours for two to three days. The DHE component treats the headache while Reglan acts as an anti-emetic, which prevents vomiting. Since the best way to administer these drugs is intravenously, the protocol requires direct intervention and oversight by health professionals.

    Modified Raskin Protocol

    • A "modified Raskin protocol" has also been developed in which the administration of Reglan and DHE for two to three days is coupled with the use of Doxepine or Amitriptyline to guard against recurrence. This modified protocol is recommended by the Robbins Headache Clinic in Northbrook, Illinois.

    Significance

    • In addition to the pain inflicted upon sufferers, migraines exact a toll on the broader economy, through absenteeism and what Dr. Stephen H. Landy and others call "presenteeism" -- the nominal but unproductive presence of the sufferers in their workplace. A study published in the Quarterly Journal of Medicine in 1995 estimates the overall cost to business per year exceeds $5.6 billion in the U.S. and 600 million pounds in the U.K.

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