This webinar was recorded on 26th March 2025
Speakers:
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Dr. Elisabeth Doran, MD – Clinical lead for the PREVENT Programme, Director of the epilepsy service in Saint James’s Hospital
Resources:
Presentation Slides: Available Here
HPRA Website: www.hpra.ie
HSE PREVENT Programme: https://www.hse.ie/eng/about/who/cspd/ncps/prevent/
Summary:
In this webinar, Dr. Elisabeth Doran provides an overview into the treatment of epilepsy with Valproate, an anti-epileptic medicine, detailing both its efficacy in managing seizures and its teratogenicity. The webinar also provides an overview of the PREVENT Programme. It includes the aims of the Programme, strict prescribing practices, risk assessments, and information resources provided, including at the point of dispensing to patients. The webinar highlights regulatory differences between Ireland and the UK and outlines prescribing trends since the introduction of PREVENT. Some of the current challenges in delivering PREVENT are highlighted, including the challenge of the lack of centralised data and a national electronic prescribing system. The presenter examines the subject of registries, including reference to a Valproate Registry and a Pregnancy Registry for women with Epilepsy. Additionally, the webinar briefly touches on complexities relating to the use of Valproate in male patients.