Nearly 300 Medications Being Developed for Unique Pediatric Needs

To help meet the distinct healthcare requirements of children and adolescents, America’s biopharmaceutical companies are currently researching 282 medicines, according to a new report recently released by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).

In recent decades, medications have played a vital role in the progress made against childhood diseases. According to the American Cancer Society, 82% of children diagnosed with cancer will survive 5 years or longer, compared to 58% 3 decades ago. This increase in survival rate is due in part to important advances in treatments.

Today, biopharmaceutical research companies are striving to keep forward momentum and to meet additional pediatric health challenges. The nearly 300 medicines currently in clinical trials or under review by the Food and Drug Administration and listed in the new PhRMA report reflect these continuing efforts. These medicines include:

• 54 for cancer, which is still the leading cause of death by disease among American children
• 49 for infectious diseases
• 48 for genetic disorders, including cystic fibrosis, which affects 30,000 American children and adults
• 25 for neurologic disorders, including epilepsy, which affects more than 300,000 children under age 14 in the US

“These medicines offer hope that the significant improvements achieved in children’s health over the past few decades will continue and even accelerate,” said PhRMA President and CEO John J. Castellani. “New medicines and new knowledge about pediatric use of existing medicines will help give our children and grandchildren the opportunity they deserve to live long, healthy lives. Nothing is more important or gratifying.”

Source: PhRMA.