Chesham and Amersham MP, Sarah Green, has today urged the Prime Minister to fund research into the impact of Climate Change on epilepsy.

The Epilepsy Society, a charity based in Chalfont St. Peter, has launched the Epilepsy Climate Change (EpiCC) initiative. The global initiative seeks to reduce contributions to climate change and support research into its impact on people with epilepsy.

Speaking in Parliament, Ms. Green referred to recent research which showed that in hot weather, 62% of those whose seizures were uncontrolled experienced an increase in seizure frequency or severity. She encouraged the Government to back further research into the issue, calling on the Prime Minister to “join [her] in endorsing the Epilepsy Climate Change Initiative and commit to more funding to research the impact of Climate Change on human health.”

Today during #PMQs I urged the PM to fund research into the impact of Climate Change on epilepsy. Recent research by @epilepsysociety already shows that in hot weather 62% of those whose seizures are uncontrolled experienced an increase in frequency or severity. pic.twitter.com/PB1fwR3WRC

— Sarah Green MP 🔶 (@SarahGreenLD) November 3, 2021

Responding, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said:  

“We’re funding epilepsy research with another £54 million over the last few years and this issue that she raises of any particular link between hot weather or climate change and epilepsy is certainly one that we will be going into.”  

Following the exchange, Green commented:  

“I am pleased that the Prime Minister has agreed to look into the impact of climate change on epilepsy. This illustrates the immediate effect the climate crisis is having on the everyday lives of people not just locally but around the world.  I implore him to follow through and ensure he puts human health on the climate agenda.” 

Clare Pelham, CEO of the Epilepsy Society, commented:  

“We are delighted the Prime Minister is interested to know more about epilepsy and climate change. We will certainly invite him to visit our world-leading research centre in Buckinghamshire where scientists from around the world are carrying out ground-breaking research to improve the diagnosis and treatment of epilepsy. 

“We are very grateful to our constituency MP for raising the case for more funds into research which will translate into better lives for the 600,000 people in the UK with epilepsy.”