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Published on: December 11, 2016

The potential of UK clinical databases in enhancing paediatric medication research

Ian C K Wong1, Macey L Murray

  • 1Centre for Paediatric Pharmacy Research, The School of Pharmacy, University of London, London, UK. ian.wong@ulsop.ac.uk

British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology
|June 14, 2005
PubMed

Insights

UK clinical databases offer significant potential for medication research, particularly in pediatrics. This article highlights key databases and successful pediatric studies, emphasizing the need for greater research capacity.

Area of Science:

  • Pharmacology
  • Pharmacoepidemiology
  • Health Informatics

Background:

  • Many UK clinical databases are underutilized for research.
  • A Royal College of Paediatrics & Child Health report identified a need for enhanced research capacity in pediatric pharmacology, specifically using clinical databases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To present available UK clinical databases for medication research.
  • To provide examples of pediatric studies utilizing these databases.
  • To highlight the research potential of specific databases in pediatric pharmacoepidemiology.

Main Methods:

  • Review and description of key UK clinical databases relevant to medication research.
  • Inclusion of examples of conducted pediatric studies.
  • Discussion of databases including Prescription Pricing Authority, General Practice Research Database, IMS Health databases, and the Yellow Card Scheme.

Main Results:

  • Several UK clinical databases are suitable for medication research.
  • Examples of successful pediatric studies using these databases are provided.
  • Databases like MEMO and Scottish Primary Care Computer System show potential but have smaller populations.

Conclusions:

  • UK clinical databases hold substantial, yet largely unrealized, research potential for medication studies, especially in pediatrics.
  • Further development of research capacity is crucial to leverage these resources effectively.
  • Specific databases offer valuable insights into pediatric pharmacology and pharmacoepidemiology.

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