title: Framework conditions facilitating paediatric clinical research.
abstract: The use of unlicensed and "off-label" medicines in children is widespread. Between 50-80% of the medicines currently administered to children have neither been tested nor authorized for their use in the paediatric population which represents approximately 25% of the whole European population. On 26 January 2007, entered into force the European Regulation of Paediatric Medicines. It aims at the quality of research into medicines for children but without subjecting the paediatric population to unnecessary clinical trial. This article addresses ethical and legal issues arising from the regulation and makes recommendations for the framework conditions facilitating the development of clinical research with children.
authors.affiliation: Dept, of Therapeutic Research and Medicines Evaluation, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. anne.knellwolf@iss.it
authors.forename: Anne-Laure
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Knellwolf
authors.forename: Stéphane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bauzon
authors.forename: Ornella Della Casa
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Alberighi
authors.forename: Irja
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lutsar
authors.forename: Ernö
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bácsy
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alfarez
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Panei
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D002648:Child; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D005060:Europe; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000941:ethics* / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*