🔬 Epilepsy Research: Accelerating Therapies and Cures 
Epilepsy affects millions of people worldwide, from young children to senior citizens, and does not discriminate. In the United States, it’s estimated that 1 in 26 people will develop epilepsy at some point in their life. While medications can prevent or reduce seizures, they do not cure the underlying condition.
🌟 Epilepsy Foundation America’s Research Mission
The Epilepsy Foundation of America is dedicated to epilepsy research. Their mission is to improve the lives of people affected by epilepsy through education, advocacy, research, and connection.
The Foundation is proud to be the largest non-government supported advocate of epilepsy research in the United States, focused on developing the next generation of scientists and supporting research that leads to better treatments and care.
EmpowER&D™: Turn Data into Better Care
The Foundation’s newest program, EmpowER&D™ (“Empowering Epilepsy Research & Development”), is reimagining research through patient-centered innovation.
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What It Is: EmpowER&D™ is a secure online platform where people living with epilepsy can share their health information and connect their medical records to create a “living data set” that fuels discovery and refines clinical care.
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The Goal: By participating, you become an active partner in research, ensuring that research reflects real lives and experiences.
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Who Can Join: Adults and children with epilepsy are welcome to participate, as well as caregivers.
Your participation is a unique opportunity to help drive better care and treatments for others living with epilepsy.
[Link: Join EmpowER&D™ and become a partner in innovation!
Areas of Research Focus
Epilepsy research is broad and constantly evolving. The national Foundation supports studies in several key areas to improve outcomes for all people with epilepsy:
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New Treatments: Current research focuses on finding new and innovative treatment options and ultimately, cures.
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Specific Populations: Studies examine how epilepsy affects youth, women, and seniors.
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Complex Conditions: Research is also conducted on severe presentations of the condition, as well as cognitive and psychiatric complications.
🤝 Clinical Trials and How You Can Get Involved
Research cannot advance without clinical trials.
Find Clinical Trials
Sometimes a doctor may recommend a clinical trial or you may learn about it on your own and ask to participate. If you are interested in participating in a clinical trial it is important to talk to the doctor and research team involved with the trial. You’ll need to learn about the study and whether you could be eligible for it. You may need to have some screening tests first to make sure that you are appropriate for the study.
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Clinical Trials Portal: Visit the National Institutes of Health clinical trials to find trials actively recruiting in your area.
