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Availability of pediatric-evaluated formulations in Serbia

Bojana Božić1, Sanja Stupar2, Duško Stupar3

  • 1Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.

Indian Journal of Pharmacology
|July 15, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Pediatric medicine availability in Serbia is alarmingly low, with only 49% of medicines suitable for children. Health insurance covers 64% of licensed pediatric drugs, but global disparities in access require urgent attention.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric pharmacology
  • Health services research
  • Global health

Background:

  • Limited availability of pediatric-specific drug formulations poses a global health challenge.
  • Access to essential pediatric medicines varies significantly worldwide.
  • Understanding national drug availability is crucial for improving child health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the availability and health insurance coverage of pediatric formulations in Serbia.
  • To compare pediatric medicine availability with the World Health Organization's (WHO) Model List of Essential Medicines for Children.
  • To identify gaps in pediatric drug access for children up to 12 years old.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of drug availability data from Serbia's official drug registry (2013).
  • Review of Summary of Product Characteristics and National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) Drug Lists.
  • Comparison with WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines for Children.

Main Results:

  • Only 49% of all medicines in Serbia were available in pediatric formulations.
  • The lowest availability was observed for neonates (0-27 days).
  • The National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF) covered 64% of licensed pediatric medicines, and 51% of WHO essential medicines for children were available.

Conclusions:

  • Serbia faces a significant deficit in pediatric-suitable drug formulations.
  • Disparities in pediatric medicine availability highlight a critical global health inequity.
  • Improving access to essential pediatric medicines should be a global health priority.
Abstract

Keywords:
Availabilitychildrenessential medicineslicensemedicines

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