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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A large Taiwanese birth cohort study found that fathers taking valproate — a common antiseizure medication — are not putting their children at greater risk for autism, ADHD, intellectual disability, or birth defects. The findings push back against a 2025 UK regulatory warning that cautioned male epilepsy patients under 55 against using the drug. Researchers say current evidence doesn't support such a strict restriction.
A major new study published in Neurology is offering reassurance to male epilepsy patients on valproate: their children don't appear to face elevated risks of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) or birth defects. The large-scale birth cohort study — the first of its kind in an Asian population — followed over 2.5 million individuals born in Taiwan between 2001 and 2016, including 1,701 children whose fathers used valproate.
Researchers found no significant associations between paternal valproate use and autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, tic disorders, intellectual disability, or congenital malformations. Crucially, these findings held up even in a sibling comparison analysis — a methodological first for this type of research — strengthening confidence in the results.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: The UK's MHRA issued a warning in 2025 against valproate use in male epilepsy patients under 55, based on a 2023 meta-analysis. This new data — along with other recent registry studies — challenges that guidance, suggesting the warning may be overly cautious and could lead to suboptimal seizure control in patients for whom valproate is the most effective option.
