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Non-Departmental Publication (Transparency)
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Jan. 17 2024

Source Page: Freedom of Information responses from the MHRA - week commencing 29 August 2022
Document: FOI 22/888 - attachment (PDF)

Found: epilepsy ( Swinkels, et al., 2001 ).


Lords Chamber
Employment and Support Allowance - Wed 18 Oct 2023
Department for Work and Pensions

Mentions:
1: Baroness Browning (Con - Life peer) To give a quick example, it is no good having so-called doctors asking people who suffer from epilepsy - Speech Link


Deposited Papers

Mar. 10 2011

Source Page: The NHS atlas of variation in healthcare: reducing unwarranted variation to increase value and improve quality. 100 p.
Document: DEP2011-0427.pdf (PDF)

Found: , who will be more likely to engage with health services. 1 Joint Epilepsy Council (2005) Epilepsy


Written Question
Gabapentin
Wednesday 1st May 2024

Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether she has had recent discussions with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency on (a) its advice on prescribing and (b) the side effects of gabapentin.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

Gabapentin is authorised for the treatment of some forms of epilepsy, as well as peripheral neuropathic pain. The product information for gabapentin, approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), provides information to support the prescribing of the medication including recommendations for dose, duration of use, as well as gradual reduction when stopping. The product information includes warnings about possible side effects.

The MHRA continuously monitors the safety of gabapentin and ensures the product information reflects what is known about the medicine and its side effects.


Scottish Parliament Written Question
S6W-23411
Monday 11th December 2023

Asked by: McNair, Marie (Scottish National Party - Clydebank and Milngavie)

Question

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of making medicinal cannabis more widely available on the NHS for adults with epilepsy.

Answered by Minto, Jenni - Minister for Public Health and Women's Health

The Scottish Medicines Consortium (SMC) has accepted a cannabidiol (Epidyolex ® ) for three severe treatment-resistant epilepsies:

  • as adjunctive therapy of seizures associated with Dravet syndrome (DS) in conjunction with clobazam, for patients 2 years of age and older
  • as adjunctive therapy of seizures associated with Lennox-Gastaut syndrome (LGS) in conjunction with clobazam, for patients 2 years of age and older
  • as adjunctive therapy of seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) for patients 2 years of age and older

The biggest barrier to the prescribing of other Cannabis Based Products for Medicinal Use (CBPMs) on the NHS is that most products remain unlicensed with a limited, or non-existent, peer-reviewed clinical evidence base for their use.

The National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) is currently leading on the design of CBPM clinical trials into epilepsy. The Chief Pharmaceutical Officer continues to engage on the progress of these trials, which will be critical in building the evidence for CBPMs.


Non-Departmental Publication (News and Communications)
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Jun. 06 2024

Source Page: Class 2 Medicines Recall: Desitin Pharma UK Ltd, Lamotrigine Desitin 10mg/ml Oral Suspension, EL(24)A/20
Document: Class 2 Medicines Recall: Desitin Pharma UK Ltd, Lamotrigine Desitin 10mg/ml Oral Suspension, EL(24)A/20 (PDF)

Found: Patients and carers should be reminded that suddenly stopping an epilepsy medicine may cause seizures


Scottish Cross Party Group Publication (Minutes)
Published: 26th Oct 2023
Source Page: Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Epilepsy
Document: Minutes of the AGM meeting held on 26 October 2023 (PDF)

Found: 1 Cross -Party Group on Epilepsy - AGM 26 October 2023 16:00 -16:30 Minute Present MSPs


Non-Departmental Publication (Statistics)
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Nov. 28 2023

Source Page: Valproate: review of safety data and expert advice on management of risks
Document: Valproate: review of safety data and expert advice on management of risks (PDF)

Found: • Paediatrician who regularly manages complex epilepsy or bipolar disorder • Epilepsy Nurse Consultant


Non-Departmental Publication (News and Communications)
Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency

Nov. 28 2023

Source Page: National Patient Safety Alert: Valproate: organisations to prepare for new regulatory measures for oversight of prescribing to new patients and existing female patients (NatPSA/2023/013/MHRA)
Document: clinical guidance (PDF)

Found: Most of below applies to oral valproate use in people with epilepsy ; valproate is used for migraine


Written Question
Cannabis: Medical Treatments
Friday 9th February 2024

Asked by: Sarah Dyke (Liberal Democrat - Somerton and Frome)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what progress she has made with (a) regulatory, (b) research and (c) NHS partners on establishing clinical trials to test the (i) safety and (ii) efficacy of medical cannabis products.

Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)

The Department, via the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is developing a programme of two randomised controlled trials to test the safety and efficacy of medicinal cannabis products to treat epilepsy in adults and children. The trials will start as soon as possible, and the results will be published once the trials have completed and the findings peer reviewed.

Furthermore, the Government continues to encourage manufacturers to invest in research and has highlighted that public funding is available for high quality applications. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency and the NIHR can provide applicants with scientific and research advice.