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Creates a National Plan for Epilepsy within HHS that the Secretary must develop, update, and publish; require annual assessments and reports; establish an advisory council; coordinate across federal agencies and with international partners; and require participating agencies to share relevant data. The law directs public input and interagency coordination and ends (sunsets) on December 31, 2035.
Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring and unprovoked seizures and affects people of all ages, affecting nearly 3,000,000 adults and 456,000 children in the United States.
Epilepsy and seizures can develop in any person at any age; one in 26 people will develop a form of epilepsy in their lifetime, affecting people from all demographic groups and walks of life.
In approximately half of all cases of epilepsy, the underlying cause of the disease is unknown.
Epilepsy is a spectrum disease made up of many diagnoses and a growing number of rare epilepsies; there are many different types of seizures and varying levels of seizure control.
Over 30 percent of people with epilepsy live with uncontrolled seizures.
Who is affected and how:
People with epilepsy and their families: May benefit from better-coordinated federal strategies, clearer national priorities, improved data collection, and evidence-based recommendations that aim to reduce uncontrolled seizures, reduce early mortality, and improve access to care and supports.
Health care providers and clinical systems: May receive federal guidance, recommended care coordination practices, and measurement tools; some providers could be asked to contribute data for national surveillance and assessments.
Researchers and public‑health agencies: Will be asked to share data and align on metrics, which can improve surveillance, identify disparities, and spur targeted research and program development.
HHS and other federal agencies: Will take on new planning, reporting, and coordination responsibilities, and must allocate staff time and potentially resources to support advisory council operation, interagency data exchange, and annual reporting.
State and local public-health entities and partners: Could be engaged to supply data, implement recommended practices, and cooperate on measurement and interventions—though the law does not appear to impose direct financial mandates on states.
Net effects: The measure centralizes federal attention on epilepsy, improves cross-agency coordination, and sets public-reporting and advisory processes intended to guide policy and program decisions. Implementation will require administrative work by federal agencies and cooperation from researchers and health systems; because no specific appropriation is included in the text provided, agencies will likely need to use existing budgets or seek future funding to fully execute all duties.
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Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced February 11, 2025 by Jim Costa · Last progress February 11, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce.
Introduced in House