Man, 58, 'died after failing to get hold of vital epilepsy medication' amid UK shortage
A report published earlier this month concluded Paul Nash suffered an epileptic seizure after running out of his "epilepsy medication which meant he had missed three doses"
A coroner has raised concerns over the shortage of epilepsy drug shortages after a man died when he couldn't quickly access vital medication.
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Paul Nash, 58, from Bedfordshire, had been living with epilepsy since 2014 after contracting HSV encephalitis, a severe life-threatening inflammation of the brain.
Mr Nash was said to be managing his diagnosis well with Carbamazepine, a common epilepsy medication used by thousands of Brits diagnosed with the same condition.
He had been taking the doses twice a day since 2016 but in September 2025 he appeared to have not "requested all his prescription," the coroner's report concluded.
It was requested in full the following month after Paul informed brain injury charity Headway a day later that he had taken his last dose.
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His local Headway branch in Luton contacted his GP "urgently" to request a prescription, but it was not ready for collection the next morning.
After a day of not being heard from, Paul was found dead in bed at home on October 23 with evidence suggesting he had suffered from a seizure.
Coroner Emma Whitting, of Senior Coroner for Bedfordshire and Luton Coroner Service, concluded that he had missed three doses of medication which led to his death.
Ms Whitting ruled: “The deceased died following an epileptic seizure after running out of his epilepsy medication which meant he had missed three doses.
"Although the reasons for him suffering a seizure at this time remained unclear."
The coroner added that all organisations "have the power" to "prevent future deaths."
Her report has been sent to Headway Luton, the GP surgery, health and social care secretary Wes Streeting, and Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Trust.
In a Prevention of Future Deaths report, Ms Whitting wrote: “During the phone call with the Surgery on October 21, Headway made it clear to the Surgery that the deceased had run out of his Carbamazepine completely.
"And although he had taken that morning’s dose, if he did not receive more medication that day he would not have his evening dose or any other doses.
"Although Headway was reassured that the GP would be notified that the deceased had run out of his seizure medication, this fact did not appear to have been conveyed to the GP and the prescription was not prioritised to ensure he received it the same day.
"The deceased’s Consultant Neurologist indicated that many epilepsy patients across the country currently experience difficulties in obtaining sufficient quantities of medication to ensure optimum seizure control."
Last year, Epilepsy Action revealed that more than seven in ten people with the condition in the UK had struggled to get hold of their prescription medication for the condition.
The survey found that carbamazepine was most commonly reported medication in shortage – reported by 92.6 per cent of respondents.
Earlier this year, scientists unveiled a unique AI-powered headset designed to predict epileptic seizures minutes before they occur.
Experts at The Glasgow Caledonian University claim the wearable device could "dramatically transform" the way the condition is managed.
Professor Hadi Larijani, who leads the research team at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: "Providing even a few minutes' warning could be life-changing.
"Our goal is to empower patients and families with time to act to stay safe and live more independently."
Prof Larijani added: "We want it to be as discreet as possible, to be wireless, light – it's a lot of features that none of the other tools right now have."