DIACOMIT, also known as stiripentol, recently was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat seizures associated with Dravet syndrome in children 2 years of age and older who are also taking clobazam.
Dr. Jacqueline French, chief scientific officer of the Epilepsy Foundation and professor at NYU Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, stresses the importance of this new drug approval. “For many years families of patients with rare forms of epilepsy such as Dravet syndrome have struggled to obtain stiripentol from other countries where it is approved for use,” she said. “It will now be available in the United States, a very welcome change, that will provide improved access for children who might benefit.”
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We have recently learned that Aetna health insurance has changed its policies regarding the use of laser ablation procedures for the treatment of some forms of refractory epilepsy. A recent CNN story shared an update about Cara, a young woman with epilepsy who was denied coverage by Aetna for laser ablation surgery recommended by her epilepsy team. Reportedly, laser ablation now will be covered by Aetna for people with refractory epilepsy who meet certain criteria.
Thank you, Cara, for sharing your story and fighting for this important change that can help so many people with epilepsy!
The mission of the Epilepsy Foundation is to lead the fight to overcome the challenges of living with epilepsy and to accelerate therapies to stop seizures, find cures, and save lives.
