Barry Gidal, professor of pharmacy and neurology in the Pharmacy Practice Division and Division Chair, was featured in the television series Healthy Body, Healthy Mind for his expertise on the study and treatment of epilepsy.
Gidal helped solidify the direction of the program by working with Dave Counts, senior producer for Healthy Body, Healthy Mind, and the other principal parties featured in the program, Dr. John Stern, professor in the Department of Neurology at UCLA, and Dr. Georgia Montouris, clinical associate professor of Neurology at Boston University School of Medicine.
The episode explores epilepsy and how it affects the workings of the human brain and what that means for patients and their families. The episode also looks at various treatment options and how different options can help patients maintain control of their disease. Gidal provided an extensive on-camera interview about the overall challenges associated with epilepsy, how it is diagnosed, treated, managed, and more. He was also able to shed light on what ongoing epilepsy research could mean for the future management of the disease.
From the early planning stages to final video editing, Counts describes Gidal’s participation in the particular program as “invaluable.” Prior to filming, Gidal reviewed the script draft for medical accuracy. He was involved in the completion of video editing as well.
Healthy Body, Healthy Mind educates the public by a combining scientific and clinical rationale with an emotional connection to viewers. The series aims to provide information to help patients, family members and viewers make informed choices so they can work collaboratively with their doctors, thus allowing them to be better prepared as a partner in their own care. All Healthy Body, Healthy Mind programs are developed through the real life experiences of patients and physicians.