Concern on drugs for epilepsy

The Irish Epilepsy Association has voiced concerns over the withdrawal of hundreds of pharmacies from State drug schemes from Saturday.

Mike Glynn, of Brainwave, the Irish Epilepsy Association, said the threatened withdrawal in just two day's time will present a huge problem for many of the 37,000 people with epilepsy in Ireland.

"It is absolutely vital that people taking medication to treat epilepsy have uninterrupted access to that medication in order to remain free of seizures."

Mr Glynn said pharmacists and the HSE should sit down and act in the best interests of patients by reaching an agreement.

He said they Brainwave is particularly concerned about people with difficult-to-control seizures who cannot drive and those who live in rural areas.

"In both cases access to hospital pharmacists or to pharmacists not withdrawing from the scheme will be limited."

View irishhealth.com's Epilepsy Clinic here

[Posted: Thu 30/07/2009]