World Brain Day: Headway Epilepsy Report emphasizes need for European standard of care
Pierluigi Antonelli
Fresenius Management SE Board Member - President and CEO of Fresenius Kabi
Coinciding with this year’s World Brain Day, we presented our latest Headway report yesterday together with our partner, The European House-Ambrosetti, contributing to laying out a new roadmap for brain health. The report focuses on epilepsy, which was recognized as one of the most common neurological disorders by the World Health Assembly in 2020.??
Ensuring optimal brain health remains a challenge in today’s volatile economic and social surroundings. Despite this, awareness about brain health, how to maintain it and the huge long-term impact bad brain health can have on a person’s quality of life remains relatively low among European audiences (1, 2), especially as many neurological conditions such as epilepsy are not necessarily life threatening but rather life limiting (3).
That’s why it’s very fitting that the World Federation Of Neurology (WFN) has chosen to center this year’s World Brain Day activities around the theme “Brain Health for All” (4).
As key insights from our Headway Epilepsy Report demonstrate, the health impact of neurological diseases overall has been underestimated for years and there remains a significant variability in the availability, accessibility and quality of epilepsy care provided across Europe. An average of up to 40% of epilepsy patients continue to miss out on treatment – in some areas this is even as high as 90%.
The Headway Report describes the social functioning of people living with epilepsy as heavily impacted by this treatment gap. In addition, stigma and marginalization continue to play a significant role in isolating and restricting people with epilepsy whether in school settings, at work or in society in general with 51% of adults surveyed feeling stigmatized, 18% of which highly so.
领英推荐
A new roadmap for brain health
Over the past years, the brain health landscape has started to change and organizations such as the European Commission, the European Federation of Neurological Associations, the European Academy of Neurology, and the European Brain Council, to name a few, have invested in research and innovation programs with the aim to advance awareness and understanding around early prevention and diagnosis as well as access to resources, treatment, and rehabilitation. 2022 in particular has been a historic year for brain health with the adoption of the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders 2022 – 2031 (IGAP) at the 75th World Health Assembly in May. (5) A concerted effort of the WFN, the International League Against Epilepsy and the International Bureau for Epilepsy, and a huge milestone!
It is inspiring to see progress being made but our Headway Epilepsy Report shows that we still have a long way to go as a community. We need to seize the moment and continue raising awareness and understanding to shape the patient journey in a positive way, so we can purposefully improve quality of life for those living with brain health conditions such as epilepsy.
As a company focused on brain health, Angelini Pharma is committed to improve the quality of life for those living with brain health conditions. We have bold ambitions to shift the treatment paradigm and shape the patient journey but cannot do this alone. To improve patients’ lives there needs to be a higher level of awareness about brain health as well as a deeper understanding of the current status quo across Europe. Our Headway Epilepsy Report offers a comprehensive insight into various European experiences in the management of epilepsy and an initial roadmap for member states, emphasizing the need for European guidelines outlining minimum standards of care and a more holistic approach as well as harmonized programs.
We will continue to work closely together with the brain health community to support those that need it the most. Never has brain health been more important than now! We will continue to find innovative and sustainable solutions by partnering with private and public companies to help us uncover what’s important and reach as many as we can to drive awareness, education, prevention, advocacy and equitable access to ensure brain health for all!
References