Epilepsy is a chronic disease of the brain characterised by the recurrence of epileptic seizures. With the antiseizure medications that are currently available, approximately 7 out of 10 people with epilepsy can become seizure-free, having no further seizures. However, 3 out of 10 people do not respond to medications and keep having seizures. Cenobamate is a new drug that has been developed to try to treat people who do not respond to antiseizure medications.

The aim of this Cochrane Review was to explore if cenobamate reduces the risk of epileptic seizures when given as an add-on treatment in people with focal epilepsy who continue having seizures despite taking antiseizure medication. Review authors also explored if adding cenobamate to usual treatment was associated with an increased risk of unwanted effects.

Cochrane considers a consumer to be a person with experience of the condition, either as a patient or as a carer/family member of a patient. For consumer peer review, we will ask you to complete a short form with your feedback to ensure the review is accessible and relevant so that it will be helpful to patients and their carers/families with healthcare decision-making.

While you are welcome to provide feedback on any aspect of the review, you can focus your attention on the summary sections (Abstract, Plain Language Summary, and Conclusions). Our aim is for this to be a manageable task, that does not overburden consumer reviewers. 

Thank you in advance for considering!