PHA-Exch> EFFORTS ON CHILD-APPROPRIATE MEDICINES INTENSIFY

[Claudio Schuftan]

From: Vern Weitzel <vern at coombs.anu.edu.au>
crossposted from: "[health-vn discussion group]" <health-vn at cairo.anu.edu.au
>

From:   Judy Ladinsky jlladins at wisc.edu

*EFFORTS ON CHILD-APPROPRIATE MEDICINES INTENSIFY

*London/Geneva, 6 December 2007* ­ Efforts to ensure children have
better access to medicines appropriate for them intensified today with
the unveiling of a new research and development agenda by the World
Health Organization (WHO).

The agenda, presented at the London launch of a campaign named*/ make
medicines child size/*,  targets a range of medicines ­ including
antibiotics, asthma and pain medication ­ that need to be better
tailored to children's needs.  It calls for further research and
development of combination pills for HIV/AIDS, TB and malaria, as well
as appropriate child therapy for a number of neglected tropical diseases.

"The gap between the availability and the need for child-appropriate
medicines touches wealthy as well as poor countries," said Dr Margaret
Chan, WHO Director-General.  "As we strive for equitable access to
scientific progress in health, children must be one of our top
priorities."

WHO has already begun work to promote increased attention to research
into children's medicines.  The agency is building an Internet portal
to clinical trials carried out in children and will publish the web
site containing that information early next year.

WHO is also releasing today the first international List of Essential
Medicines for Children.  The list contains 206 medicines that are
deemed safe for children and address priority conditions. "

In industrialized societies more than half of the children are
prescribed medicines dosed for adults and not authorized for use in
children.  In developing countries, the problem is compounded by lower
access to medicines.

Each year about ten million children do not reach their fifth
birthday.  Approximately six million of these children die of
treatable conditions and could be saved if the medicines they need
were readily available, safe, effective and affordable.

Pneumonia alone causes approximately two million deaths in children
under five each year and HIV kills 330 000 children under 15.  .

WHO will also work with governments to promote changes in their legal
and  regulation requirements for children's medicines.
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