WHO Receives $9.7M Grant From Gates Foundation for Pediatric Medicine Research With UNICEF
The World Health Organization on Wednesday announced that is has received a $9.7 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to support research with UNICEF into the production and dosage of pediatric medicines, Reuters reports. The research aims to increase the availability of pediatric medicines, particularly in developing countries. The grant will support research to determine the best pediatric formulations for existing medicines and develop dosage guidelines for children. In addition, the researchers will share findings with pharmaceutical companies, WHO said (Reuters, 1/22).
Although researchers have made "[s]ome progress" in developing pediatric treatments, "too many medicines are still given to children that have never been properly tested for them," Hans Hogerzeil, WHO director of essential medicines and pharmaceutical policies, said (WHO release, 1/21). According to WHO, more than 50% of medicines prescribed for children have not been formulated specifically for pediatric use. In addition, researchers often do not test the safety and efficacy of these medicines among children. The lack of pediatric medications has led some health care workers and parents to administer portions of adult doses, crush adult-sized tablets or dissolve capsules in water, according to WHO.
Carissa Etienne, WHO assistant director general, said "we lack the critical evidence needed to deliver appropriate, effective and affordable medicines" formulated for pediatric use, adding, "We need to take the guesswork out of medicines for children." According to Jaime Sepulveda, director of Integrated Health Solutions Development at the Gates Foundation, improving medicines for children is "a critical global health issue." He added that the new research could "help provide effective health interventions to children and improve child survival," particularly in resource-limited settings (Reuters, 1/22).
WHO in December 2007 launched a campaign to encourage pharmaceutical companies to develop medicines better adapted to treat children with diseases such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. The organization compiled the first international list of Essential Medicines for Children (.pdf), which includes 206 products that tackle priority conditions and are safe for children. According to WHO, about six million children younger than age five die annually because they do not receive appropriate medication for treatable diseases (GlobalHealthReporting.org, 12/6/07).
