| Commission
Members
Richard Mattson - USA
Elinor Ben-Menachem - Sweden
David Chadwick - U.K.
Emilio Perucca - Italy
Roger Porter - USA
Philip Patsalos - U.K., Secretary
Reetta Kälviäinen - Finland
Blaise Bourgeois - USA
Santiago Arroyo - Spain/USA
Torbjörn Tomson - Sweden, Chair
Others to be appointed
Subcommissions
Evidence-based Treatment Guidelines
Elinor Ben-Menachem, Chair
Reetta Kälviäinen
Richard Mattson
David Chadwick
Tracy Glauser
Methodological Issues Related to Monotherapy Trials
Michel Baulac, Chair
David Chadwick
Jacqueline French
Emilio Perucca
Long-term Efficacy and Tolerance of AEDs
Santiago Arroyo, Chair
Jacqueline French
Steven White
Elisabeth Tietz
Mike Rogawski
Richard Mattson
Ilo Leppik
Jose Serratosa
Andres Kanner
Tracy Glauser
Blaise Bourgeois
Thomas Hammeke
Sara Swanson
Pharmaceutical Drug Development of AEDs
Roger Porter, Chair
Bernd Schmidt
Mission
To advise the ILAE executive on issues related to the treatment
of epilepsy with emphasis on pharmacotherapy.
Objectives
- To develop evidence-based guidelines for pharmacological treatment
of epilepsy
- To address the phenomenon of tolerance to anti-epileptic drug
effects and the problems in evaluating long-term efficacy
- To address methodological problems related to the process of
registration of new anti-epileptic drugs for monotherapy
- To promote the interest of pharmaceutical companies in developing
drugs for epilepsy.
Summary of Activities for 2002
Meetings
The full commission has had three meetings during 2002, the first
on 7 April in Taormina, Italy, at the Eilat Conference on New Antiepileptic
Drugs. The second meeting took place on October 6 in Madrid, Spain,
on the occasion of the European Congress on Epileptology. The third
meeting will be held in Seattle, WA, in conjunction with the annual
meeting of the American Epilepsy Society on 7 December.
The Subcommission on Evidence-based Treatment Guidelines met to
develop a guidelines manuscript in Gothenburg, Sweden in August.
The Subcommission on Monotherapy Trial Methodology will have its
first meeting on 9 December in Seattle, Washington, USA.
Interaction with Other Commissions
The Monotherapy Methodology Subcommission has been established
in collaboration with the Commission on European Affairs.
Other activities
The Commission has endorsed EURAP, an International Antiepileptic
Drugs and Pregnancy Registry, which subsequently has been presented
at all three Regional Epilepsy Congresses in 2002 (Latin American,
Asian-Oceanian and European). Information booths have been operational
at these meetings to supplement and reinforce the information presented
at the scientific sessions. As a consequence of these activities,
the registry has now been implemented in more than 30 countries
in four continents. The Evidence-based Treatment Guidelines have
also been presented and discussed by Richard Mattson at the Asian-Oceanian
Epilepsy Congress in Japan in September.
Planned Commission Activities for 2003
The Subcommission on Long-term Efficacy and Tolerance of AEDs is
organising a workshop entitled "Long-term efficacy and tolerance
of AEDs" to be held in Milwaukee, USA on 31 January. The result
of the workshop is expected to be summarized in a publication.
The Commission is in the process of organising a course on "Pharmacological
Management of the Epilepsies" 9-19 July in San Servolo, Venice,
Italy in collaboration with the Commission on European Affairs.
This will be the second course in the Venice Epilepsy Summer School
series and is part of the educational activities of the International
School of Neurological Sciences of Venice. The course is primarily
targeting physicians who are pursuing their training or are already
specialists in neurology or pediatrics and who wish to refine their
skills in the pharmacological management of the epilepsies. Subcommission
workshops are planned to take place during the San Servolo course.
The Subcommission on Evidence-based Treatment Guidelines is expected
to finalize a manuscript on recommendations on the optimal choice
of pharmacological treatment of children and adults with epilepsy,
which eventually is also intended for publication on the ILAE Website.
Date: 26 November 2002
Report by: Torbjörn Tomson, Chair
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