 News
3rd February 2006
Not enough children's medicines 'properly tested'
Too many children's drugs have not been properly tested,
according to a new report.
The House of Lords report found that 90 per cent of medicines for new
born babies and 50 per cent of those aimed at children are untested, including
some asthma inhalers.
The evidence was collated from doctors after the EU proposed a law requiring
firms producing adult drugs to test if they can also be used to treat
children.
Baroness Thomas of Walliswood, chairwoman of the Lords EU Sub-committee
on Social Policy and Consumer Affairs, said, "It is worrying that so many
of the medicinal products used by our children have not been properly
tested to ensure the appropriateness of their use.
"Children are not simply small adults."
The Lords report recommended that all drugs - prescription and over-the-counter
- needed to indicate their suitability for children and agreed with the
idea of trials to be carried out on youngsters with the consent of their
parents
If the law is passed, it is likely to come into force in 2007.
Professor Sir Alan Craft, President, Royal College of Paediatrics and
Child Health, agreed better testing was needed, but urged parents not
to be alarmed.
"We welcome the report from the House of Lords. It highlights once again
that the majority of medicines given to babies and children are unlicensed.
"Better testing would however result in a better situation for children.
This should not alarm people, as the unlicensed medicines are prescribed
by doctors with experience of working with children."
And Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said, "We need to ensure maximum
safety for children's drugs. Equally it is difficult to conduct the very
clinical trials on children needed to improve safety."
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