National Plan for Epilepsy Act

This bill creates a National Plan for Epilepsy to better prevent, find, treat, and someday cure epilepsy. It says epilepsy affects nearly 3 million adults and 456,000 children in the U.S., costs are very high, and people with uncontrolled seizures face greater health and money challenges. The federal government would coordinate work across agencies, push for safer and more effective treatments, improve early diagnosis and care, listen to public input, and check progress every year.

An Advisory Council made up of major federal health and research agencies, people living with epilepsy, family caregivers, doctors, researchers, and nonprofits would meet regularly. Its meetings would be open to the public, and it would issue reports with priorities to improve care, research, data, and awareness. Agencies would share epilepsy data to support these reports. The program would end on December 31, 2035 unless renewed.

• Who is affected: People with epilepsy and their families; doctors and researchers; federal health agencies; the public (via open meetings).
• What changes: A single national plan; yearly progress checks; a public Advisory Council; regular reports with action steps; and required data sharing among agencies.
• When: First national assessment within 2 years, then every year; Advisory Council report 18 months after the law starts, then every 2 years; council meets at least quarterly; sunsets December 31, 2035.