More than 200 Medicines in Testing to Meet the Needs of Children

Washington, D.C. (April 23, 2007) — A new report released today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) finds that biopharmaceutical researchers are testing 219 medicines to help meet the special healthcare needs of children. The medicines are currently in clinical trials or under review by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“A child born today can expect to live an average of 30 years longer than a child born a century ago¹ and medicines and vaccines have played a large role in expanding overall life expectancy and improving the quality of life for children,” said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin. “New medicines, and new knowledge about the use of existing treatments in children, mean that children will stay healthy and recover from illnesses more quickly and most importantly, more children will enjoy childhood and grow into healthy adults.

Medicines in the report include:

• 39 for cancer which, despite significant progress, is still the leading cause of death by disease among American children between 5 and 24.
  
• 26 for genetic disorders, including medicines for cystic fibrosis, which affects 30,000 American children and adults.
• 16 for neurologic disorders, including medicines for epilepsy, which affects more than 300,000 school children under age 14 in the United States.
• 14 for respiratory disorders, including medicines for asthma, the leading serious chronic disease among children, which affects some 6.2 million children.
  

The report also found that in addition to creating medicines specifically to meet the needs of children, biopharmaceutical companies are testing many existing medicines to determine safe and effective dosage levels for children. The importance of testing medicines in children is underscored by current legislation up for reauthorization this year. On January 4, 2002, President Bush signed the “Best Pharmaceuticals for Children Act (BPCA),” reauthorizing a highly successful program to generate new knowledge about medicines for use in children. As a result of this program, according to the Tufts Center for the Study of Drug Development, more than 120 medicines contain new safety, efficacy, dosing, and risk information for children and teenagers in its labeling.

To view the report and other information about medicines in development for children, go to: http://www.phrma.org/files/2007Children.pdf.

Read the backgrounder

¹ National Center for Health Statistics.

---

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country’s leading pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to live longer, healthier, and more productive lives. PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for new cures. PhRMA members alone invested an estimated $43 billion in 2006 in discovering and developing new medicines. Industry-wide research and investment reached a record $55.2 billion in 2006.

PhRMA Internet Address: www.phrma.org

PhRMA en Español: www.nuestraphrma.org

For information on how innovative medicines save lives, visit: www.innovation.org

For information on the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, visit: www.pparx.org

For information on the danger of imported drugs, visit: www.buysafedrugs.info