Epilepsy Today Latest News

UK government to review use of medicinal cannabis

A review into the use of medicinal cannabis was announced by the Home Office yesterday at the House of Commons.

Home Secretary, Sajid Javid, made the announcement saying that the “position we find ourselves in is not satisfactory”.

Home Office returns confiscated cannabis oil to 12-year-old Northern Ireland boy with epilepsy after he has first seizure in over 300 days

The UK Home Office has returned 12-year-old Billy Caldwell’s cannabis oil epilepsy medicine after he was taken to hospital on Friday 15 June. This was after Billy’s medicine was confiscated at Heathrow Airport on Monday 11 June.

Billy, from Castlederg in Northern Ireland, has a severe form of epilepsy and has previously had up to 100 seizures a day.

Diagnosis, treatment and seeking independence with a Dravet syndrome diagnosis

Maxine has Dravet syndrome, a rare and severe form of epilepsy. Her mum Patricia tells Epilepsy Today about life with the condition, from diagnosis and treatments, to finding independence

Teva lamotrigine tablets – some doses out of stock in the UK

Teva is out of stock of the following medicines:

• Lamotrigine Teva 100 mg tablets (non-dispersible)
• Lamotrigine Teva 50 mg tablets (non-dispersible)

Teva does not currently know when these will be back in stock. We'll update this page when we know more.

The 25 mg and 200 mg tablets (non-dispersible) are in stock. All doses of Teva's dispersible lamotrigine tablets are in stock.

Tribunal rules against £89 million government fine issued to Pfizer and Flynn Pharma over price hikes of epilepsy medicines

A UK Competition Appeal Tribunal has overturned the decision to fine two pharmaceutical companies over price hikes of their phenytoin sodium capsules.

Rosemont phenytoin oral suspension discontinued in the UK

Rosemont has stopped making its version of phenytoin oral suspension.

If you take this version of phenytoin, you’ll need to switch to another manufacturer’s version. If you have any concerns about this, speak to your doctor, epilepsy nurse or pharmacist.

Belfast Trust calls in 2,500 patients for review after consultant neurologist investigation

The Belfast Trust has called in 2,500 patients for a review after an investigation into the work of a consultant neurologist.

Concerns were raised about Dr Michael Watt’s treatment plans and diagnoses by other doctors. After this, his work was investigated by the trust and the Royal College of Physicians.

Danny Tozer inquest finds no neglect in care, but unsatisfactory communication with family

An inquest into the death of a 36-year-old man with epilepsy found that he died of natural causes.

Danny Tozer had epilepsy, autism and a learning disability. He was a resident at a supported living home when, in 2015, he died after having a seizure. The coroner concluded that Danny died from sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP).