This statement was ranked the top issue by 14.5% of respondents. It is worth noting that the Atlantic provinces found having a license less important than did Alberta, Quebec and B.C. This may reflect socio-economic differences, geographic differences, enforcement differences, or perhaps just differences among the individuals who responded in these areas.

Note also that not all those who responded viewed the statement in the same way. Some were concerned because they did not have a driver’s license: “Against automatic revocation of driver’s license; as long as seizures are well-controlled, driver is no more at risk than someone with diabetic or heart condition.” Others were concerned by this statement because they believed that people with epilepsy should not have driver’s licenses: “People with epilepsy should not have licenses to drive; they are putting themselves and others in danger.” The common theme, however, was how not having a license impacted on their lives. The perceived effect of not being able to drive and how this interacts with other issues can best be summed up by this comment: “No car, no job. No job, no family, no education – none of the above.” Other comments included:

"If a person with epilepsy loses their license due to seizures we should be provided with some other type of free transportation for doctor’s and other appointments."

"Had one seizure - lost license for a year - totally disrupted job and family life."

No. 3 Issue:
“Some people with epilepsy can't afford their medication’”(Statement #5)

This statement was ranked #1 by 13% of respondents. Again, different regions of the country expressed different levels of concern about this statement. For example, people in Newfoundland and Saskatchewan were the most concerned about the statement, whereas people in Alberta were the least concerned. This may reflect differences in the economic climate of the region, or in the level of health care and social services in their region. Some provinces have programs to help low income earners with the high costs of some medications, while other provinces do not.

The high cost of medications for those not on drug plans but also financially marginalized necessarily has an impact on their quality of life and general health. This is problematic because poor nutrition and stress may have a negative effect on seizure control, causing more medication to be prescribed, which in turn puts further economic pressure on the person with epilepsy: more medical expenses, less money for food, more stress, more seizures.

As one person puts it: "The stress of money problems doesn’t help my epilepsy."

"Proper medical care (pills) should be a right, not a privilege."

"All people should have equal access to medication."

"Those not on health insurance plans face financial hardships forcing them to scrimp on prescribed dosages."

"High cost of medication is one of the reasons I am on welfare."

"How can one live without controlling their seizures?"

Another area of concern expressed by more than one province and directly related to this issue is the cost of medical alert bracelets: "I wish these necessary medical accessories were covered by medical."