July 3, 2007

Today, in recognition of the brave men and women who fought for our nation’s independence, U.S. Rep. Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), unveiled the Epilepsy Centers of Excellence Act of 2007 (H.R 2818), to address the critical issues facing veterans who have experienced traumatic brain injuries (TBI).

TBI is one of the most common injuries of the war. Medical experts believe that 30 to 50 percent of brain injuries in military personnel will develop into epilepsy. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Perlmutter, authorizes the establishment of six Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Epilepsy Centers of Excellence (Epilepsy CoEs) throughout the nation to lead the way in epilepsy diagnosis, research, treatment and surgery.

“Our service men and women bravely fought for us, now it is time to fight for them and provide them with the best, highest quality medical care available,” said Perlmutter. “As the father of a daughter with epilepsy, I understand and am committed to making sure our nation provides the critical medical care and research necessary to give these brave veterans the highest quality medical treatment.”

“Many of our brave veterans will develop epilepsy following a traumatic brain injury,” said Eric R. Hargis, President and CEO of the Epilepsy Foundation. “The difficulty is that the epilepsy often will not become apparent for three to five years or more post injury. These Centers will ensure our veterans receive excellent care for a condition they developed as a consequence of military service.”

“As neurologists, we understand that one of the leading causes of epilepsy is traumatic brain injury,” said Lynn Parry, MD representing the American Academy of Neurology (AAN). “The AAN truly appreciates Congressman Perlmutter’s commitment to veterans and to persons with epilepsy. Creating Epilepsy Centers of Excellence will lead to not only improved care for our veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, but also provide more awareness of the need for research and care for those with TBI and epilepsy,” concluded Dr. Parry, who is also president of the Colorado Medical Society.

The Epilepsy Foundation, a national nonprofit with affiliated organizations throughout the , has led the fight against epilepsy since 1968. The Epilepsy Foundation will ensure that people with seizures are able to participate in all life experiences and will prevent, control and cure epilepsy through services, education, advocacy and research. For additional information, please visit www.epilepsyfoundation.org.

The American Academy of Neurology, an association of more than 20,000 neurologists and neuroscience professionals, is dedicated to improving patient care through education and research. A neurologist is a doctor with specialized training in diagnosing, treating, and managing disorders of the brain and nervous system such as Alzheimer’s disease, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, traumatic brain injury, and stroke. For more information about the American Academy of Neurology, visit www.aan.com.