Healthcare professionals with expertise in epilepsy can now access and prescribe cenobamate more easily, after an update to the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommendations.
NICE initially only allowed cenobamate (brand name Ontozry) to be given in tertiary centres providing advanced specialist services.
Epilepsy specialists can now more easily access and prescribe the medication without having to refer to tertiary centres.
NICE said it has changed the recommendations following “concerns raised by the clinical community that restricting starting treatment in a tertiary care setting has resulted in inequitable access to the treatment”.
Consultant neurologist Dr Rhys Thomas at the Royal Victoria Infirmary Newcastle, said: “This is undoubtedly a major boost for the many people with epilepsy who, for no fault of their own, happen to have their care coordinated outside of the major University clinics.
“This will break down unnecessary barriers to accessing treatments and reduce the inherent postcode lottery.”
Cenobamate is used to treat focal seizures in adults with drug-resistant epilepsy. It is prescribed as an add-on treatment alongside a person’s other epilepsy medication, if two or more medications have not been able to control their seizures.
Epilepsy Action has more information on epilepsy medication.
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