FDA Approves Epilepsy Drug For Children
Lamictal Designed To Curb Partial Seizures
Posted: 11:06 a.m. EST January 21, 2003
WASHINGTON -- A new epilepsy drug has been approved for children.
The Food and Drug Administration approved Lamictal, which can help control partial seizures. The drug, which is produced by GlaxoSmithKline, is designed for kids aged 2 to 16, and can be used with other treatments.
A study found that 42 percent of young epileptic patients taking the drug had seizures half as often as before, and only a few had side effects.
Study leader Dr. Michael Duchowny, director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Program at Miami Children's Hospital, called it a major step. He said if seizure rates can be reduced, there's a real chance of improving the quality of life of kids with epilepsy.
"FDA-approved therapies for children with epilepsy are limited, so any medication that can be clinically proven to effectively control seizures in this population with a favorable tolerability profile, provides an important new option to manage this condition," Duchowny said.
Duchowny's study of the drug was published in the journal Neurology.
About 2.3 million Americans have epilepsy, and about 300,000 are under 14, according to the Epilepsy Foundation.
Partial seizures are the most common type of epilepsy, affecting about 70 percent of all people with the illness.
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