Better Medicines for Children: Lessons Learnt and Share Learnings at the EFGCP Annual Paediatric Conferences

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Pharmacology
• Regulatory Science
• Drug Development

Background:

• The European Forum for Good Clinical Practice (EFGCP) Children Medicines Working Party has a long history of organizing annual Paediatric conferences.
• These conferences were historically co-organized with the European Medicines Agency and the Drug Information Association (DIA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide a platform for diverse stakeholders, including regulators, health technology assessment (HTA) bodies, patient representatives, academia, and industry, to share knowledge.
• To raise awareness of new regulatory requirements aimed at optimizing paediatric drug development.
• To discuss challenges and solutions in advancing paediatric medicines.

Main Methods:

• Annual conferences organized by the EFGCP Children Medicines Working Party.
• Past collaborations included the European Medicines Agency and the Drug Information Association (DIA).
• Recent conferences (2021, 2022) were held virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic, featuring themes like 'Challenges and Solutions' and 'Progress made and Continuing Challenges'.

Main Results:

• Despite the shift to virtual formats, the conferences maintained high attendance and value.
• Broad stakeholder participation was achieved, covering regulators, HTA bodies, patients, academia, and industry.
• A comprehensive overview of key issues impacting children's access to innovative medicines was generated.

Conclusions:

• Virtual conferences can effectively facilitate stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing in paediatric drug development.
• Continued collaboration and discussion are essential for addressing challenges and improving access to novel medicines for children.
• The annual EFGCP conference remains a vital forum for advancing paediatric medicine development and regulatory science.