Abstract
Since more than 35 years, the international medical scientific community tries to solve the problem of the offlabel use of paediatric drugs. The aim is simple, but ambitious: to supply children and adolescents with effective drugs, as safe as possible, with known and well-documented side effects, and with accurate and up-to-date information on dosage and administration form. However, despite the significant efforts of paediatricians, researchers and international health politics, a number of severe obstacles for the optimal supply of children and adolescents with safe drugs remain. The detailed analysis of the problem shows not only a still remaining lack of medical knowledge, but also persistent weaknesses in the ethical, legal, medical, pharmacological, and political practices that surround the phenomenon of off-label use in paediatrics. The article gives an overview about the remaining difficulties in the field of paediatric off-label medication with special consideration to ethical and regulatory questions.
Keywords: Ethical and legal regulation, off-label use, paediatrics, effective drugs, dosage, children, adolescents, unlicensed drug, Pediatric Rule, quality and safety
Current Drug Targets
Title:Off-Label Drug Use in Paediatrics: A World-Wide Problem
Volume: 13 Issue: 7
Author(s): Christian Lenk
Affiliation:
Keywords: Ethical and legal regulation, off-label use, paediatrics, effective drugs, dosage, children, adolescents, unlicensed drug, Pediatric Rule, quality and safety
Abstract: Since more than 35 years, the international medical scientific community tries to solve the problem of the offlabel use of paediatric drugs. The aim is simple, but ambitious: to supply children and adolescents with effective drugs, as safe as possible, with known and well-documented side effects, and with accurate and up-to-date information on dosage and administration form. However, despite the significant efforts of paediatricians, researchers and international health politics, a number of severe obstacles for the optimal supply of children and adolescents with safe drugs remain. The detailed analysis of the problem shows not only a still remaining lack of medical knowledge, but also persistent weaknesses in the ethical, legal, medical, pharmacological, and political practices that surround the phenomenon of off-label use in paediatrics. The article gives an overview about the remaining difficulties in the field of paediatric off-label medication with special consideration to ethical and regulatory questions.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Lenk Christian, Off-Label Drug Use in Paediatrics: A World-Wide Problem, Current Drug Targets 2012; 13 (7) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012800675759
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012800675759 |
Print ISSN 1389-4501 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5592 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
New drug therapy for eye diseases
Eyesight is one of the most critical senses, accounting for over 80% of our perceptions. Our quality of life might be significantly affected by eye disease, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, etc. Although the development of microinvasive ocular surgery reduces surgical complications and improves overall outcomes, medication therapy is ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Substrates and Inhibitors of Human Multidrug Resistance Associated Proteins and the Implications in Drug Development
Current Medicinal Chemistry Subject Index To Volume 12
Current Pharmaceutical Design Non-viral Delivery Systems for the Application in p53 Cancer Gene Therapy
Current Medicinal Chemistry Cardiovascular Disease Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Metabolic Syndrome: Focus on Aggressive Management of Dyslipidemia
Current Diabetes Reviews The Zebrafish as a Novel Tool for Cardiovascular Drug Discovery
Recent Patents on Cardiovascular Drug Discovery Inhaled Corticosteroids in COPD: Pros and Cons
Current Drug Targets Role of Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors in Cardiovascular Physiology and Pathophysiology: Current Trends and Perspectives
Current Vascular Pharmacology From the Stretcher to the Pharmacys Shelf: Drug Leads from Medically Important Brazilian Venomous Arachnid Species
Inflammation & Allergy - Drug Targets (Discontinued) Synthesis and Biological Properties of Dihydro-Oxadiazine-Based Heterocyclic Derivatives
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Adipose Derived Stem Cells for Musculoskeletal Regeneration: Recent Patents and Future Perspectives
Recent Patents on Regenerative Medicine Reactive Oxygen Species and Antioxidants in the Pathophysiology of Cardiovascular Disease: Does the Actual Knowledge Justify a Clinical Approach?
Current Vascular Pharmacology Medical Treatment of Critical Limb Ischemia: Current State and Future Directions
Current Vascular Pharmacology Telomere/Telomerase System: A New Target of Statins Pleiotropic Effect?
Current Vascular Pharmacology Biochemical, Enzymatic and Molecular Properties of Renin/Prorenin Mediated by (Pro)Renin Receptor
Immunology, Endocrine & Metabolic Agents in Medicinal Chemistry (Discontinued) The Association of Chemotherapy and Radiotherapy: Breast Cancer
Current Drug Therapy Hypertension and Concurrent Arrhythmias
Current Pharmaceutical Design Kingella kingae: A Pediatric Pathogen of Increasing Importance
Current Pediatric Reviews Are Sex Differences in Outcomes of Patients with ACS from Observational Registries Similar to the Findings from Randomized Clinical Trials?
Current Pharmaceutical Design Curcumin in Combined Cancer Therapy
Current Pharmaceutical Design Editorial (Thematic Issue: Aging and Metabolic Syndrome: Common Molecular Pathways)
Current Diabetes Reviews