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JOIN US IN CAMPAIGNING FOR A NATIONAL PLAN FOR the Epilepsies

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THERE'S ONLY ONE PATH TO A NATIONAL PLAN FOR THE EPILEPSIES.
THE ONE WE FORGE TOGETHER.
PEOPLE WITH EPILEPSY, CAREGIVERS, CLINICIANS, RESEARCHERS& POLiCYMAKERS – ARE ALL WITH US.
ONE VISION. ONE VOICE. ONE FUTURE.

WILL YOU JOIN US?

A National Plan for the Epilepsies will give us a clear, direct, shared path toward a better future for people living with the epilepsies.

01

WHAT IS A NATIONAL PLAN?

A National Plan is passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. It gets everyone moving in the same direction by developing a framework and roadmap for collaboration – providing clear vision and direction, ensuring the efficient use of resources, promoting sustainable and equitable progress, and fostering good governance.

03

Other prevalent neurological conditions have National Plans. What Have They Achieved?

​Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s, Autism, ALS, and MS all have National Plans. (Epilepsy is the only common neurological disorder without one.)

Their plans have resulted in:

  • Increased funding for targeted research

  • Identified biomarkers to expedite diagnosis

  • Tailored treatments individualized to patients

  • Established data tracking systems to accurately report disease trends

  • Improved and expanded training for healthcare providers

  • Supported caregiver and community-based programming

  • Funded awareness campaigns to educate and reduce stigma

02

WHAT CAN OUR PLAN ACHIEVE?

  • Reduce epilepsy-related mortality from all causes

  • Improve the detection, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the epilepsies and co-existing conditions

  • Decrease socioeconomic, racial, geographic, and other disparities in care

  • Increase the breadth and depth of epilepsy research

  • Expand national surveillance (data collection) to capture the magnitude and diversity of the epilepsies

  • Enhance public awareness and engagement

04

HOW DO WE GET A NATIONAL PLAN?

The introduction and passage of a National Plan requires extensive education on Capitol Hill. We must collectively spread the word about the impact of the epilepsies on patients, the burden on families, and the cost to our economy and already overloaded healthcare system.  Once a bill is introduced, advocates work to build widespread bipartisan support for the bill. Upon passage, ALL epilepsies stakeholders work together to draft the plan.

Even with recent Congressional investments in NIH, less than .5% of biomedical research funding goes to epilepsies. There is no mechanism to coordinate epilepsies efforts across the federal government.

Greater federal attention to, and investment in the epilepsies, is necessary to coordinate and expedite efforts to prevent, diagnose, treat and cure the epilepsies and other seizure disorders. 

1 in 26

people will develop epilepsy at some point in their lives. 

3.4 MILLION

people living with active epilepsy in the U.S. 

$54 BILLION

economic impact of the epilepsies and seizures.

30%

percentage of people who don't respond to epilepsy medications.

2-3X

people with epilepsy have a risk of premature death 2-3 times higher than general population.

50%

adults with uncontrolled seizures live in <$25,000/yr households. 

OUR COALITION IS GROWING

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©2026 by Epilepsies Action Network (EAN)

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