Summary:Testing the efficacy of lamotrigine (LTG) in epileptic patients has been approached in several ways. The first pilot study examined the effect of a single dose of LTG in patients with frequent interictal spikes, and a reduction in spike frequency was observed. Subsequently, single doses reduced photosensitivity in appropriate patients. Single‐blind administration of LTG for 1 week in addition to the patients' regular antiepileptic drugs (AEDs), in patients with refractory seizures, reduced seizures despite the short duration of therapy. This regimen was continued using a placebo‐controlled crossover study with 1‐week duration of treatment. Efficacy in partial and tonic‐clonic seizures was subsequently confirmed in four double‐blind crossover studies; a meta‐analysis of these four studies showed a 30% reduction in partial seizures despite the intractable nature of the seizures in the patients included. Current studies aim at evaluating the drug as monotherapy and in different se