Pediatric psychopharmacological research in the post EU regulation 1901/2006 era

Although the use of psychotropic medications in child and adolescent psychiatry in Germany is on the increase, most compounds are in fact prescribed "off-label" because of a lack of regulatory approval in these age groups. In 2007, the European Parliament introduced Regulation 1901/2006 concerning medicinal products in pediatric populations, with a subsequent amendment in the form of Regulation 1902/2006. The main aim of this legislation was to encourage research and clinical trials in children and adolescents, and thus promote the availability of medications with marketing authorization for these age groups. Furthermore, initiatives such as the European 7th Framework Program of the European Union now offer substantial funding for pediatric pharmacological research. At a recent Congress of the German Society for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (DGKJP), experts from the field and the pharmaceutical industry held a symposium with lay representatives in order to discuss attitudes toward, and experience with, pediatric psychopharmacology research in Germany since 2007. Several areas of concern were identified. The present paper derives from that symposium and provides an overview of these opinions, which remain crucial to the field. A wider discussion of how to facilitate psychopharmacological research in Germany in order to optimize the treatment and welfare of children and adolescents with psychiatric disorders is now warranted.