Supporting Epilespy bill will help thousands in NY

In February, last year, our then-two year old daughter, Abigail, experienced a twelve-minute seizure. With eyes open and labored breathing, she was transported by ambulance to Northern Dutchess Hospital. Six months later she was diagnosed with Epilepsy.

Every fourteen days our daughter experiences a seizure lasting from five to fifteen minutes. Nothing prepared us for the torment we feel when Abigail slips into a seizure. Her physicians continue carefully experimenting with medication, aiming for total seizure control.

This past session the State Assembly Committee on Higher Education considered bill A9303. This legislation requires the notification and informed consent of the prescriber and patient prior to the substitution of a prescribed ant-epileptic drug. You can imagine how important this legislation is to us and the thousands of New Yorkers dealing with Epilepsy every day.

While we were hopeful the committee would support this bill and allow the Assembly to consider

did not. We will continue to reach out to members in the hope that a vote might occur.

Epilepsy is unique to every individual afflicted. Each medication has a unique effect on the patient. In many cases physicians will implement multiple drug therapy plans in order to find the right combination and dosage levels necessary. While steps can be taken to limit the substitution of anti-epileptic drugs, only notification and consent will ensure the proper level of oversight and control.

You can understand how very critical this legislation is to us. Abigail still struggles with regular seizures and we continue to seek the right drug therapy. Only we and her physician should have the right and ability to adjust this therapy. We thank Assemblyman Aubry for his sponsorship and ask you to join us in encouraging your legislator to support this bill next session.

Best personal regards,

Christy L. Molinaro

Marcus J. Molinaro

Assemblyman, 103^rd District