Highlights From AES2020, a Virtual American Epilepsy Society Experience

Abstract

Due to COVID-19 a live, in-person meeting was not possible for the American Epilepsy Society in 2020. An alternative, virtual event, the AES2020, was held instead. AES2020 was a great success with 4679 attendees from 70 countries. The educational content was outstanding and spanned the causes, treatments, and outcomes from epileptic encephalopathy to the iatrogenicity of epilepsy interventions to neurocognitive disabilities to the approach to neocortical epilepsies. New gene therapy approaches such as antisense oligonucleotide treatment for Dravet syndrome were introduced and neuromodulation devices were discussed. There were many other topics discussed in special interest groups and investigators’ workshops. A highlight was having a Nobel prize winner speak about memory processing. Human intracranial electrophysiology contributes insights into memory processing and complements animal work. In a special COVID symposium, the impact of COVID on patients with epilepsy was reviewed. Telehealth has been expanded rapidly and may be well suited for some parts of epilepsy care. In summary, the epilepsy community was alive and engaged despite being limited to a virtual platform.

Failure to use new breakthrough treatments for epilepsy

“…An official published summary of the meeting included 63 references; none mentioned cenobamate or fenfluramine. 32 The 2021 meeting was similar, although industry-sponsored satellite sessions covered fenfluramine.…”

“…At the 2020 American Epilepsy Society (AES) meeting, 7 months after the cenobamate launch, academic leadership did not include cenobamate in any of the eight major symposia. An official published summary of the meeting included 63 references; none mentioned cenobamate or fenfluramine 32 . The 2021 meeting was similar, although industry‐sponsored satellite sessions covered fenfluramine.…”