“The common practice of labelling individuals by their medical condition perpetuates stigma, and it’s time we move beyond that,” said Gopalkrishna Gandhi, former governor of West Bengal, at the inauguration of an annual three-day conference on epilepsy in Chennai on Friday.
Inaugurating ECON 2025, organised by the Indian Epilepsy Society (IES), Indian Epilepsy Association (IEA), and Indian Epilepsy Association Chennai Chapter, Mr. Gandhi said, “Among other serious issues, we should consider eliminating certain terms for medical conditions that carry stigma. For instance, we should reconsider using terms like “epileptic.” Instead, it’s better to say “patient with epilepsy.” We should work towards making people hesitate before using terms that contribute to shame or marginalisation.”
Experts at the conference said that epilepsy is one among many neurological disorders, and it can be managed and, in some cases, even cured with proper medical care and advancements in treatment. With the skills and expertise available in India, epilepsy is no longer an incurable disease, but a manageable condition, they said.
V. Natarajan, Organising Chairman of ECON 2025; K.P. Vinayan, IES Secretary; P. Sarat Chandra, IES president; Bindu Menon, IEA Secretary; P. Satishchandra, IEA president; and K. Malcolm Jeyaraj, Organising Secretary of ECON 2025, were present.
Published – August 23, 2025 12:17 am IST
