CEA Lobbying Action for Epilepsy Research in Europe

To make epilepsy a European research priority with EU funding, the Commission on European Affairs (CEA) of the ILAE has taken action and founded a Task Force. This Task Force has published a paper in Epilepsia which documents the view of the European scientific community on the research priorities that should be undertaken in epilepsy in the next years. This document is designed in such a way that it can be used for all kinds of lobbying purposes at the national and European level, and even by lay persons.

To obtain EU epilepsy research funding, the message that this research is needed must come from several European countries and from as many parties as possible. All interested parties, i.e. basic scientists, clinicians, health care professionals, patient organizations, and others, are called upon to help this lobbying campaign succeed.

For this purpose, please find two documents to help you in the concerted lobbying action:

• A letter from the CEA explaining the lobbying action and giving hints for successful lobbying in your country
  
  
• The paper published in Epilepsia, "Research Priorities in Epilepsy for the Next Decade - a Representative View of the European Scientific Community", lists what has been achieved in epilepsy research so far, names the further challenges, identifies the most relevant and urgent priorities and the direction future research should take. This paper gives all the facts about epilepsy and the needs for further research, and is meant to serve as a base for referral, a source for arguments and facts to help you in your lobbying efforts.