Sodium Valproate
Knowledge Hub
A Drug that changed the face of drug regulation
Sodium valproate is a medicine used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder and, in some circumstances, migraine prevention. For many people it is a highly effective treatment that has transformed lives by controlling seizures or stabilising mood when other medicines have been unsuccessful.
​
However, sodium valproate is also recognised as one of the most significant medicines in the history of medicine safety. Research has shown that it can cause serious harm during pregnancy, and ongoing research continues to explore its wider effects on health and the factors that may influence individual susceptibility.
​
This Knowledge Hub provides balanced, evidence-based information about sodium valproate, including how it works, the conditions it is used to treat, understanding treatment, pregnancy, medicine safety, the underlying science, long-term health effects and additional resources.
