More confidence for parents (From Warrington Guardian)

More confidence for parents

NEW European Union rules should ensure that Warrington parents can have more confidence in the safety of medicines given to their children, claims Warrington MEP Chris Davies.

In the past pharmaceutical companies developing new drugs have been required to test them only to meet the needs of adults. Preparing them for children is more complicated and costly because different doses are required for each age group while sales of each product may be small.

With doctors often having to estimate the correct dose to be given to children, a study by UK scientists published earlier this month suggested that two thirds of children treated in hospital are given drugs that had not undergone appropriate tests.

Now the European Parliament has voted in favour of new measures that will force companies producing a drug for adults anywhere in Europe also to ensure its safety for children.