Current Market Access to Epilepsy Medications

The FDA in 2018 approved Epidiolex (cannabidiol) oral solution — the first FDA-approved drug that contains a purified drug substance derived from marijuana — for the treatment of seizures associated with two rare and severe forms of epilepsy in patients 2 years or older. Over the past two years, more treatments for epilepsy entered the market. Most recently, the FDA in August 2020 gave another indication to Epidiolex to treat seizures associated with tuberous sclerosis complex in people at least 1 year old. For most epilepsy medications on the market, the majority of insured people have plans that put them under the preferred/preferred (prior authorization and/or step therapy) tiers and covered/covered (PA/ST) tiers, as of December 2020.

NOTE: The numbers of total covered lives under commercial, health exchange, Medicare and Medicaid formularies are 171.3 million, 10.5 million, 47.0 million and 64.8 million, respectively.

SOURCE: Managed Markets Insight & Technology, LLC database as of December 2020.

© 2025 MMIT
Jinghong Chen

Jinghong Chen Reporter

Jinghong has been producing infographics and data stories on employer-sponsored insurance, public health insurance programs and prescription drug coverage for AIS Health’s Health Plan Weekly and Radar on Drug Benefits since 2018. She also manages AIS Health’s annual executive compensation database for top insurers and Blue Cross and Blue Shield affiliates. Before joining AIS Health, she interned at WBEZ, Al Jazeera English and The New York Times Chinese. She graduated from Missouri School of Journalism with a focus on data journalism and international reporting.

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