Each month, epilepsy.com/Professionals sends out an email Newsletter full of recent epilepsy news, updates on seizure medicines, advances in treatment options, and information on new resources available to the healthcare industry.

We maintain an archive of previous Newsletters for your reference. If you would like to signup to receive the epilepsy.com Newsletter each month, simply follow the link below.

2007 Newsletters

December 2007
The All New epilepsy.com: Warren Lammert provides a guide to our new look in “It’s about the Community. American Epilepsy Society (AES) Meeting News: From the annual AES meeting in Philadelphia, watch for reports that will include: conference proceedings, special topic sessions such as AEDs and Generic Substitution, and features from members of epilepsy.com. Epilepsy Education: Designed for medical students, residents and practicing physicians, this important and up-to-date educational program from the AES includes the basic science of epilepsy, clinical epilepsy, neuropharmacology, and neurosurgical aspects of epilepsy. Post Traumatic Epilepsy: We continue to bring you news about post-traumatic epilepsy and this month feature an interview with Anne Van Cott, MD, of the VA Health Care System in Pittsburgh. The Health Outcomes in Pregnancy and Epilepsy Forum: We have been featuring briefs from the HOPE forum.

November 2007
What are the Most Important Unmet Medical Needs for People with Epilepsy? Perspectives from Zach Lynch: Neurotechnology Leaves the Nest, Awaiting a Policy Push. The Future of Epilepsy Diagnosis: A Highlight for CIMIT Innovation Congress. Medication Alert – Dilantin® 100 mg. Capsules: What Every Person Using This Medication Needs to Know. This article covers important information from epilepsy.com board member Barry Gidal, PharmD, and interviews with industry spokespeople. Side Effects on the Ketogenic Diet: Identification and Treatment. Although an effective treatment, the ketogenic diet may cause side effects, says epilepsy.com board member Eric Kossoff, MD. Health Outcomes in Pregnancy and Epilepsy (HOPE) Groups. Members of our distinguished panel have been working on projects that will help you take care of women with epilepsy. An Interview with Cynthia Folio, PhD: Awareness and Inspiration from my Child’s World.

October 2007
Health Outcomes in Pregnancy and Epilepsy (HOPE) Groups Articles - Members of HOPE; Basic Principles of Study Design; Epidemiology and Ethics, Scientific Integrity, Regulatory Control; Pregnancy Registries and Release of Negative Information. AEDs, Sleep, and Seizures by Carl Bazil, MD, PhD, talks about the effects of drugs on sleep and presents a full AED chart. Hallway Conversations: Joseph I. Sirven, MD, and Ilo Leppik, MD, talk about Seniors, AEDs, and Epilepsy. Caring for Our Veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury at Risk for Developing Epilepsy: We are linking to information, legislation and an upcoming feature that will be of interest to you. Generic Drugs: The media is talking about generic drugs. Halloween Alternatives – Celebrating Safely: This is designed for your patients on the ketogenic diet, filled with sugar-free suggestions for Halloween. Understanding Seizures and Emergencies: This overview has many downloadable sheets in My Resource Kit that will be helpful to your patients in managing their seizures.

September 2007
Medication in the News – A substantial price increase has been announced for H.P. Acthar Gel(R), a natural form of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) that is used to treat infantile spasms, from $1,650 a vial to $23,000 a vial. Operation Giveback – Many soldiers who experienced head trauma while serving our country are at increased risk for developing epilepsy. Special Interview – Randy Siegel recently talked to Newsweek and epilepsy.com about his daughter with epilepsy. We think you will find Rebecca’s story to be an inspiration. Challenging Cases – We are pleased to present “Vigabatrin Treatment In A Patient With Visual Field Defects,” by Roy G. Beran, MD, from Australia. Perspectives – Announced budget cuts at the National Institutes of Health will impact the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, which oversees epilepsy research, resulting in even fewer grant awards than in 2006. Ketogenic Diet News – Dr. Adrianna Amari at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore writes about her recently-published research that shows children with epilepsy may instinctively know what to eat – and the ketogenic diet appears to be on their menu! 2007 International Epilepsy Congress – We continue to bring you abstracts from members of and contributors to epilepsy.com. Breaking News – We have been following the story of an immigrant who died in custody in Rhode Island.

August 2007
Awarding Innovation The Epilepsy Research Foundation, committed to finding a cure for persons with epilepsy, has announced three translational research awards, Webcast from NeuroTechnology Series – To hear Steven C. Schachter, MD, and others you can go to the webcast, supported by Epilepsy TDP, from the CIMIT Summer Education Series. Hallway Conversations: Pregnancy What if you are referred a woman with newly diagnosed partial epilepsy, not yet started on medication, who tells you that she plans to start a family in the next few months? Challenging Cases “Left Arm and Leg Shaking in a Patient with a History of Treated Syphilis” by Daniel J. Brotman, MD, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions (JHMI) and Majid Fotuhi, MD, PhD. Traveling Safely: Seizure Preparedness – From our new online section, Seizure Preparedness, this tells how to reduce the chances of an emergency and be prepared just in case. Sleeping Peacefully: Carl W. Bazil, MD, PhD, has written a chapter on sleep for a forthcoming book. Eating Ketogenically: The MCT diet is an adaptation of the ketogenic diet, often used in England and Canada. Clinical Trials: Participation in clinical trials offers the potential for new treatment options and allows patients to participate with researchers in driving the discovery of effective therapies for epilepsy.

July 2007
An RFP due September 1, 2007: A new request for translational research proposals in the field of epilepsy has been announced by The Epilepsy Research Foundation (ERF). 27th International Epilepsy Congress. Hallway Conversations: Rufinamide – We asked two experts their opinions about the drug that has been approved in Europe as add-on therapy for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome. Transportation: Limited Ability to Get to a Pharmacy Impacts a Patient’s Medication Compliance – Read the results of a survey, posted on our site, which Professor Timothy Welty and colleagues plan to submit for presentation at the 2007 American Epilepsy Society meeting. Perspectives: Patent Pending – This is an interesting perspective on the proposed changes to patent laws under discussion by Congress. Challenging Cases: "The Value of Diagnostic Persistence" – Presented by Gregory L. Krauss, MD, from Johns Hopkins Hospital, this case illustrates the difficulty of localizing seizures in extratemporal neocortex. CIMIT Summer Education Series and the Epilepsy TDP webcast. What Every Traveler Needs to Know About Preventing Seizure Emergencies – From our new online section, Seizure Preparedness, this tells how to reduce the chances of an emergency when on the go and be prepared just in case. Seizure Medicine Sheets – Our series to help patients continues. We are presenting more information about seizure medicines in a format that is easy to read and understand.

June 2007
Seizure Preparedness – This in-depth guide in 10 sections is designed to help physicians, caretakers, and persons with epilepsy manage seizures. Rufinamide – In January of this year, Inovelon® (rufinamide) received marketing authorization in the European Union as adjunctive therapy in Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome. A Physician’s Perspective: Finding Medications Anywhere in the World – For physician and patient use, Robert Fisher, MD, PhD, from Stanford has devised an international AED database. Hallway Conversations – The US Food and Drug Administration is seeking to determine whether to approve rufinamide as an add-on therapy for partial seizures with or without secondary generalization in adults and adolescents 12 years of age and older, and for Lennox-Gastaut syndrome in children ages 4 and over. Challenging Cases – Professor Paolo Tinuper at the University of Bologna is author of "Syncope In A Patient With Temporal Lobe Epilepsy," our featured presentation this month.

May 2007
Read about the latest research into new therapies for patients with refractory seizures; CURE Conference – A special poster session for young investigators was held just prior to the Curing Epilepsy 2007 conference; A Video Book about Epilepsy – Roy Sucholeiki, MD, developed and directed the first comprehensive epilepsy program in the far western suburbs of Chicago; Challenging Cases – This month we present “If At First You Don’t Succeed…” , the story of a child whose convulsions began at 15 months; The Driving Controversy; International AED name database; state-by-state laws or statutes governing the generic substitution of medications by pharmacists; Medicaid rules for generic AED substitutions state by state and New AED information sheets.

April 2007
This month we review advances in new anti-epileptic drugs; consider the success of the modified Atkins diet for obesity, which can also be helpful to those with epilepsy; learn about the value of diaries in predicting seizures; report on the controversy regarding the use of seizure dogs; and present another Challenging Case that helped change a physician’s perspective. We also pause to say “Congratulations” to our Chairman and Co-Founder, Warren Lammert, on the honors he recently received.

March 2007
Antiepileptic Drug Trials IX; Jacqueline French, MD, discusses the goals of this conference; The New York Times article; discussing SUDEP with patients; Attacks of Rising Sensations, Pallor and Loss of Consciousness; Curing Epilepsy 2007: Translating Discoveries into Therapies, and the National Walk for Epilepsy

February 2007
A recently published study in Neurology reported that patients who kept a daily diary for a full year were able to reasonably predict a seizure that might occur the following day, and could also predict seizure-free days; National Walk for Epilepsy; ETDP New Therapy Grants Program; Localizing seizure onset using a tracer dye and single photon emission computed tomography; Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy as an alternative to open brain surgery; this month we are beginning a new series called Challenging Cases, and suggestions for working with parents,

January 2007
Featuring: A Message from Warren Lammert, Chairman and Co-Founder of Epilepsy Therapy Development Project; News from AES Annual Meeting: The Judith Hoyer Lecture, AEDs and the Elderly, Caffeine Use Among those with Epilepsy, Driving Against Doctor's Orders, Polyunsaturated Fats and Seizures, and Atkins Diet in Treating Seizures; Hallway Conversations: Felbamate: Consensus of Current Clinical Experience.

Back to top