What’s New in Epilepsy

The latest Epilepsy resources, programs, campaigns, and website updates.

Attention Health Care Providers! CDC is supporting a partnership between the Epilepsy Foundation, Rare Epilepsy Network, and the American Academy of Pediatrics to implement a new Project ECHO. This ECHO will increase the knowledge, skills, and self-efficacy of providers to effectively diagnose and treat rare or genetic epilepsy, Developmental & Epileptic Encephalopathies, and epilepsy syndromes, as well as their comorbidities. They are recruiting neurologists (pediatric and adult), epileptologists, trainees, pediatricians, and other health professionals to join a five-month learning collaborative. Participants are eligible for free CME (pending approval). Register online here! To learn more, view the program flyer.

CDC Activities Related to Recommendations of the 2012 IOM Report, Epilepsy Across the Spectrum, 2012–2022, Final Progress Report [PDF – 3 MB]

This 10-year progress report serves as the final inventory of CDC extramural and intramural activities related to the 2012 IOM report, Epilepsy Across the Spectrum.

• View a 2-page summary of the report.

New Notice of Funding Opportunity: CDC announces the availability of fiscal year 2023 funds for a new 5-year cooperative agreement, CDC-RFA-DP23-0007: Building capacity for implementing evidence-based epilepsy self-management supports in health care settings

Barriers to and Disparities in Access to Health Care Among Adults Aged ≥18 Years with Epilepsy — United States, 2015 and 2017.

In 2015 and 2017, adults with active or inactive epilepsy were more likely to report an inability to afford prescription medicine, specialty care, or other types of care, had trouble finding a doctor, delayed care because of transportation barriers, or were in families having problems paying medical bills, compared with U.S. adults without epilepsy.

Seizure- or Epilepsy-Related Emergency Department Visits Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic — United States, 2019–2021

Seizure- or epilepsy-related emergency department visits decreased sharply during the early pandemic period among all age groups, especially children aged 0–9 years. The return to pre-pandemic baseline in this group was delayed until mid-2021, longer than other age groups.

The Power of Collaboration: The Managing Epilepsy Well Network [PDF – 2 MB]

Learn about the partners, programs, and impact of CDC’s Managing Epilepsy Well Network.