UK report supports EU proposals to test drugs in children

Half of the drugs used in the European Union to treat children and 90% of drugs given to newborn babies have never been tested or authorised for use in these age groups, warns a new UK report. The report supports new European proposals to test drugs in children.

The report, published last week, supports the European Commission's proposal to introduce a common EU-wide procedure for testing and approving drugs for use in children and incentives to encourage manufacturers to develop drugs specifically for paediatric use.

The subcommittee of the House of Lords European Union Committee that developed the report said: “It is high time this was done, and the framework proposed seems right.”

However, …