Frequently Asked Questions

We’re here for you! Scroll to see answers to various questions we get from healthcare providers.

aed-scroll-2

What findings have you released/published?

The North American AED (Antiepileptic Drug) Pregnancy Registry has released and published information about many AEDs. Please click here for more information about the publications.

Can I access data on a specific drug that my patient is taking even if it hasn’t been released to the general public?

The Registry does not provide any information about certain drugs until they are reviewed and released by the Scientific Advisory Committee. To read more about the methods and release criteria, click here.

Who are your sponsors? Does being sponsored by pharmaceutical companies present a conflict of interest?

The North American AED (Antiepileptic Drug) Pregnancy Registry is sponsored by Abbvie, AdVanz, Greenwich Biosciences, Janssen, Pfizer, SK Life Sciences, Sunovian, Supernus, UCB, and Zogenix. The Registry is proud to be conducting this research within a non-biased academic setting and goes to great lengths to insure that its research follows scientifically rigorous guidelines in regards to release criteria, anonymity and confidentiality. (For more details, please see our methods section).

How many women enroll in the Registry per week?

Currently, approximately 10 women enroll each week.

Are you recruiting controls? How?

We are currently recruiting a control group for the Registry. We are asking Registry participants to ask their pregnant friends or family members (who are not taking AEDs) to enroll in our control group. For more information, please visit the control group page.

What does the Scientific Advisory Committee do?

The Scientific Advisory Committee is comprised of academic medical researchers with no financial interest in any pharmaceutical corporation. The committee meets once each year in Boston to discuss the analysis of drugs being studied. The committee has final approval over the announcement and publication of registry data and conclusions.

What are your release criteria?

For information about our methods and release criteria, please click here.

Do you provide incentives for the study participant?

We do not provide incentives to participants.

How do you ensure confidentiality?

All data is stored in a database without mentioning names. Insurance companies, providers, and the pharmaceutical firms supporting the Registry DO NOT have access to any of this information.

What can you tell me about breastfeeding while taking AEDs?

Women can safely breast feed while taking AEDs. A term infant has been exposed to the AED for 9 months and can metabolize the medication as well as an adult, and there is generally less medication in the breast milk than in the mother’s plasma.

North American AED (Antiepileptic Drug) Pregnancy Registry

125 Nashua Street | Suite 8438
Boston . Massachusetts 02114

TOLL FREE: 1.888.233.2334
FAX: 617.643.0071