National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS) has stated that over 30 per cent of the epileptics in the country could face serious drug resistance going by the lack of new drugs to control the seizures.

The incidence of epilepsy is 14 per 1,000 in India. Over 85% of the global burden of epilepsy occurs in low-income countries including India, according to the University of Oxford.

Drug resistance is a serious concern among epileptics. While one half of the patients are forced to suffer this way, the others have no access to drugs because of serious lack of awareness, said Dr. P Satish Chandra, vice chancellor, NIMHANS.

At a three-day colloquium held between August 16-18, 2013 on drug resistant epilepsy organized at NIMHANS, along with the Association of American Epileptologists of Indian Origin and Indian Epilepsy Association, he said commonest cause of epilepsy in developing world is caused by tape worm or Cysticercosis followed by post traumatic epilepsy and blood vessel constriction. Around 5 per cent is attributed to genetic reasons. Of course from an India stand point, 1 per cent of our population which mainly includes children, elderly as well as autistic besides, the mentally challenges.

The colloquium is being held to comprehend the role of newer epileptic drugs and surgical interventions with special focus on paediatric epilepsy.

While 70 per cent of the epilepsy patients have a chance to be cured, rest do not respond to medicines and surgery. The cause of drug resistance  epilepsy is not determined. Therefore, there is a need to explore possible surgical interventions, drugs and combo therapies, said the NIMHANS vice chancellor.

In addition to the problem of drug resistance, there are only a handful of hospitals in the country which can treat and cure epilepsy surgically. Apart from NIMHANS, surgeries are done at AIIMS, New Delhi and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh to name a few, he said.

Dr. Mall Bhaskar Rao, professor, Neurosurgery, NIMHANS, said that around 80 per cent of the treatment burden comes from drug resistance epilepsy who have no seizure control and surgical intervention with special focus on pediatric surgery.

Experts have come in from US, UK, Japan with a panel from India. The focus is on offering a comprehensive training on management of epilepsy in the country.