New SK Life Science, Inc. Survey Reveals Communication Gaps Between Patients and Providers That Can Impact Epilepsy Care Outcomes

Nearly 3 in 4 patients don't report all of their seizures to their doctor, highlighting risks in treatment decisions and life-saving conversations

PARAMUS, N.J., Oct. 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As National Epilepsy Awareness Month begins on Saturday, new survey findings from SK Life Science, Inc., a global leader in treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and a subsidiary of SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., reveal striking communication gaps between patients and providers that can stand in the way of proper care and important treatment decisions. Notably, nearly three-quarters of people living with epilepsy report they don't share all seizures with their doctors, underscoring the importance of trust, open dialogue, and more effective treatment conversations.

The survey, Hope, Hesitancy, and Hard Truths: A Patient and Provider Perspective on Epilepsy Treatment, conducted by Wakefield Research among 500 patients living with epilepsy and 450 healthcare providers in the U.S. (neurologists, epileptologists, and advanced practice providers), also uncovered differences in how each group defines seizure control and approaches treatment decisions. For example, while nearly two-thirds (63%) of doctors believe it's realistic to reduce seizures by 75-100%, more than three-quarters (78%) of patients don't believe they'll ever be seizure-free. Among the survey's most significant findings:

• Treatment switching discussions are complex: Nearly 90% of patients say they'd ask about switching medications if it meant better control, yet 88% of doctors report pushback from patients or their families when they raise the idea – often due to concerns about side effects, cost, or uncertainty about benefit.
• Seizure reporting disconnect: Almost three-quarters (72%) of patients admit they don't report all their seizures to their doctor – often due to concerns about their independence being limited or not believing their seizures were "significant enough" to report.
• Conversations about SUDEP are inconsistent: While 88% of doctors say they have discussed SUDEP, also known as sudden unexpected death in epilepsy, only 63% of patients recall having such a conversation with their healthcare provider. Nearly 1 in 5 patients who experience daily seizures had never heard of SUDEP, the leading cause of death in people with uncontrolled seizures. This gap highlights how critical patient awareness and proactive treatment decisions are in reducing risk.

"These findings reinforce the idea that epilepsy care is about more than prescribing medication — it's about ongoing communication, trust, and shared decision-making. Open dialogue between patients and their healthcare providers is critical to reducing seizure frequency, addressing risks like SUDEP, and ensuring treatment decisions are as effective and safe as possible," said Pavel Klein, MD, neurologist. "The fact that so many patients feel uncertain about reporting seizures or achieving seizure freedom should make all of us in the epilepsy community rethink how we engage in these essential conversations."

Epilepsy by the Numbers

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder, affecting nearly 3.4 million people in the U.S., with about 150,000 new cases each year.¹ The condition is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures that can impact safety, relationships, work, and independence. People with epilepsy are also at risk for accidents and other health complications, including depression and SUDEP. Despite the availability of many therapies, about one-third of people with epilepsy continue to experience seizures that remain uncontrolled.²

"As a company dedicated to improving outcomes for people with epilepsy, SK Life Science is committed to listening closely to the voices of both patients and providers," said Sunita Misra, MD, PhD, Vice President of Global Clinical Development and Chief Medical Officer, SK Life Science, Inc. "By shining a light on these communication gaps, we can better support informed treatment conversations, develop solutions that empower individuals, and advance our mission of bringing hope to the epilepsy community."

Together, these findings highlight the urgency of improving communication in epilepsy care and show where progress can be made to close gaps, reduce stigma, and ultimately improve outcomes for the millions of people living with epilepsy.

To view the full survey report, visit https://www.sklifescienceinc.com/news-media/#survey-report

About SK Life Science, Inc. and SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd.
SK Life Science, Inc., with headquarters in Paramus, New Jersey, is a U.S. subsidiary of SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., a pioneering South Korean company in drug development and commercialization. Together, they are advancing innovative treatments for central nervous system (CNS) disorders and oncology, with eight compounds currently in development. Utilizing target-based drug discovery, high-throughput organic screening/high content screening, computer-aided drug design, and combinatorial chemistry, the companies drive R&D efforts in biology/discovery, medicinal chemistry, pharmacology, and clinical development. For more information, visit www.SKLifeScienceInc.com.

SK Biopharmaceuticals Co., Ltd. is part of SK Group, South Korea's second-largest conglomerate. SK Group is a collection of global industry-leading companies driving innovations in energy, advanced materials, biopharmaceuticals and digital business. Based in Seoul, SK invests in building sustainable businesses around the world with a shared commitment to reducing global greenhouse gas emissions. SK companies combined have $151 billion in global annual revenue and employ more than 100,000 people worldwide. SK Group is one of TIME's 100 Most Influential Companies of 2023. SK Inc., the parent company of SK Biopharmaceuticals, continues to enhance its portfolio value by executing long-term investments with a number of competitive subsidiaries in various business areas, including pharmaceuticals and life science, energy and chemicals, information and telecommunication, and semiconductors. In addition, SK Inc. is focused on reinforcing its growth foundations through profitable and practical management based on financial stability, while raising its enterprise value by investing in new future growth businesses. For more information about SK Inc., visit https://sk-inc.com/en/main/mainpage.aspx. For more information about SK Biopharmaceuticals, visit www.skbp.com/eng.

About Epilepsy

Epilepsy is the fourth most common neurological disorder. There are approximately 3.4 million people living with epilepsy in the United States, with 150,000 new cases each year in the country.^3,4 Epilepsy is characterized by recurrent, unprovoked seizures. The seizures in epilepsy may be related to a brain injury or a family tendency, but often the cause is completely unknown. Having seizures and epilepsy can affect one's safety, relationships, work, driving, and much more.^5,6 People with epilepsy are at risk for accidents and other health complications, including falling, drowning, depression and sudden unexplained death in epilepsy (SUDEP).^5,6 Despite the availability of many antiseizure medications and therapies, almost 40 percent of people with epilepsy are not able to achieve seizure freedom, meaning they have epilepsy that remains uncontrolled.⁷

References

1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Epilepsy Facts and Stats." www.cdc.gov/epilepsy/data-research/facts-stats/index.html. Accessed October 2025.
2. Gandelman-Marton R, et al. The Prognosis of Refractory Epilepsy Patients Rejected from Epilepsy Surgery, U.S. National Library of Medicine. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25273688/ . Accessed October 2025.
3. Cleveland Clinic. Epilepsy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17636-epilepsy. Accessed October 2025.
4. Epilepsy Foundation. Facts & Statistics About Epilepsy. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/about-epilepsy-basics/epilepsy-statistics. Accessed October 2025.
5. Epilepsy Foundation. Staying Safe. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/seizure-first-aid-and-safety/staying-safe. Accessed October 2025.
6. Epilepsy Foundation. Complications and Risks. https://www.epilepsy.com/learn/challenges-epilepsy. Accessed October 2025.
7. Chen Z, Brodie MJ, Liew D, Kwan P. Treatment outcomes in patients with newly diagnosed epilepsy treated with established and new antiepileptic drugs: a 30-year longitudinal cohort study. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29279892. Published online December 26, 2017. Accessed October 2025.

SOURCE SK Life Science, Inc.