Putting children first: An opportunity for Canada's new government

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pharmacology
• Health Policy
• Drug Development

Background:

• The necessity of pediatric-specific drug evaluation has been acknowledged for over 50 years.
• Despite global trends and recognized importance, Health Canada has not implemented policies mandating pediatric medicine studies.
• Effective policy reforms for pediatric drug evaluation exist in other jurisdictions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess Canada's research base concerning the labeling of pediatric therapies.
• To review the existing evidence and infrastructure for pediatric drug evaluation in Canada.

Main Methods:

• Convened an expert panel in 2012.
• Assessed Canada's research base for pediatric therapy labeling.
• Reviewed findings and recommendations from a 2014 report.

Main Results:

• A comprehensive report on pediatric therapy labeling was published in September 2014.
• The report identified significant gaps and areas for improvement in Canada's approach to pediatric drug research.
• The findings have not yet led to concrete policy changes or government action.

Conclusions:

• The 2014 report's findings warrant urgent consideration by the Canadian government.
• There is a high priority for evidence-based treatments for children, necessitating policy reform.
• Timely government action is needed to address the identified gaps in pediatric medicine research and labeling.