Home > Medical Specialties, Centers and Clinics > Epilepsy > Clinical Research

Clinical Epilepsy Research at Barrow

Barrow Neurological Institute of St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center, Phoenix, Arizona

One of the goals of the Barrow Epilepsy Center is to improve treatments for epilepsy. In many cases existing treatments cannot control an individual's seizures or do so with an unacceptable level of side effects. New anti-epileptic medications, which are not yet on the market, may be offered to patients through clinical trials. Some of these medications may prove useful for individuals with seizures. Participation in clinical trials of new anti-epileptic medications may provide a treatment years before it would otherwise be available.

Patients decide whether to participate in any research program. Participation is entirely voluntary and is not a requirement to be diagnosed and treated by the Epilepsy Center.

Each clinical trial is closely monitored to ensure the safety and confidentiality of patients. Before a patient participates in a clinical trial, the medication is carefully tested in the laboratory. Once a certain level of safety is determined, the new treatment must be tried with patients in a controlled setting. The patient's health, response to treatment, and any side effects are recorded. The results are evaluated over a period of time to learn more about the safety and effectiveness of the treatment.

Before patients participate in a clinical trial, the team reviews the potential risks and benefits with the patient and family. Participation in research studies is voluntary. Patients can withdraw from the study at any time.

Barrow Neurological Institute participates in ongoing clinical research studies that include evaluation of the following issues:

How quickly patients recover from seizures
How much patients are aware of seizures
The patterns of seizure spread electrically through the brain
The effect of seizures in children on learning and school and family functions
Analysis of how many seizures are required to determine their origin in the brain
The best way to localize speech and memory in the brain before surgery
The development of new anticonvulsant medications and several other clinical projects.

For more information about clinical trials available for the treatment of epilepsy, contact the Barrow Neurology Clinic at 602-406-6262.