Many neurologists unaware of AED safety risks

A study by Johns Hopkins researchers shows thata fifth of U.S. neurologists appear unaware of serious drug safety risks associated with various anti-epilepsy drugs, potentially jeopardizing the health of patients who could be just as effectively treated with safer alternative medications.

The findings suggest that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration needsa better way to communicate information to specialists about newly discovered safety risks, the researchers say, since the warnings are in many cases not getting through to doctors making important prescribing decisions.

And, the researchers add, while their new study, reported online in the journal Epilepsy and Behavior, was focused on neurologists and anti-epilepsy drugs, they believetheir findings are applicable to a wide spectrum of medical specialists and medications.

“There is poor communication from the FDA to specialists, and there’s some risk to patients because of this,”says study leader Gregory L. Krauss, M.D., a professor of neurology at…