Time to end the stigma of epilepsy

An awareness campaign to dispel misconceptions about epilepsy was launched on International Epilepsy Day. In a joint statement on Feb 13, the organisations behind the campaign—the International Bureau for Epilepsy (IBE) and the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE)—called for "greater understanding and intersectoral action to tackle the stigma and discrimination faced by people with epilepsy worldwide". This campaign is timely because strengthening the public health response to epilepsy is one of the five strategic objectives of the Intersectoral Global Action Plan on Epilepsy and Other Neurological Disorders 2022–2031 (IGAP), and ending stigma and discriminatory legislation are key components of this strategic objective.