Impact of Levetiracetam Cost on Epilepsy in a Resource-limited Country

High treatment costs remain a major barrier for people with epilepsy (PWE), leading to significant treatment gaps. At the University of Malaya Medical Centre (UMMC), levetiracetam (LEV) is sold at a retail price (self-paying), but some patients receive subsidization. This study aimed to study the impact of medication costs on adherence, dosing, and quality of life among self-paying versus subsidized patients.

This cross-sectional study was conducted at a tertiary care center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. A structured questionnaire was used to assess the medication adherence, dosing, and quality of life among patients prescribed LEV, incorporating the Malaysian Medication Adherence Scale (MALMAS) and the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory (QOLIE-31).

Among the 172 respondents, those under the subsidization scheme (86, 50%) had a higher mean maximum dose (2055.2 mg vs. 1688.4 mg, P =0.013) and were less likely to reduce LEV intake due to cost concerns (7.7% vs. 23.7%, P =0.021). In the self-paying group, more patients had low adherence (23.3% vs. 17.6%), the seizure-free rate was lower (22.1% vs. 29.1%), and the mean QOLIE-31 score was lower (60.5 vs. 62.4) than the subsidized group, but the differences were not statistically significant.

Financial support is crucial in optimizing LEV dosing and adherence, with subsidized patients receiving higher doses and being less likely to reduce intake due to cost.