Research Assessment #6

Name:

Meghan Reed

Date:

1 November 2017

MLA Citation:

Boots, Isabelle, et al. “Stimulation Programs for Pediatric Drug Research – Do Children Really

Benefit?” ​European Journal of Pediatrics​, vol. 166, no. 8, Aug. 2007, pp. 849–855.,

doi:10.1007/s00431-006-0381-z.

Assessment:

In a previous research assessment, I focused on how clinical trials are vastly different for

children and for adults, but are not treated as such. Instead, researchers just assume that they

work for children, even though in many cases that is not the case. For this article as well, it

focused on specific drugs that are used in either care for adolescents and how they often do not

work for children. This specific study focused on pediatric exclusivity for drugs and what extent

researchers are trying to gain more pediatric exclusivity for certain prescriptions and drugs. The

article starts off by stating that “most drugs prescribed in pediatrics have not been tested in

children”, which is a very negative statement (Boots). Most parents and caregivers do not know

that these treatments have not been tested, and if they did know, they surely would not be okay

with their kid being prescribed this prescription. This has an overall negative impact on all

children and adolescents because if something has not been thoroughly tested, or tested at all,

then the scientific community as a whole does not know the extent at which the negative
consequences of the drug could outweigh the benefits. As well, they do not know if the drug is

not compatible with other drugs that the child might be on, which could damage the health of the

child way more than it could help. Since this problem has been exposed in the late 20th century,

many Acts, such as the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act and the Best

Pharmaceuticals for Children Act to try and fix this issue. As well, in 1978, the Pediatric Rule

was passed, which “requires the industry to perform research in the pediatric population” before

administering the drug (Boots). The results of these acts were that 135 drugs have been granted

pediatric exclusivity from 1998 to 2006, which is a major improvement in this field. This ensures

that children are getting the care they deserve, and less and less mistakes are being made in the

field of pediatric medicine.

This article really helped me focus on the idea that children have been overlooked in the

past, and deserve the best care that they can get. It tied back to my previous research assessments

that children are getting less funding, less research is happening, and less progress is being made

compared to the progress of adult medicine. I have learned the progress that has only recently

been made in this field, and how this progress should have been made earlier. Although it was

not made earlier, it is good that it is being made now, because this research can decrease the

amount of consequences and negative outcomes in the pediatric field. It made me focus on the

positive impacts of pediatric care and how it can really change children’s lives, both in their

lives, and everyone around them, just as parents, caregivers, siblings, and friends. I cannot wait

to go into this field, and continue to change these kids lives, just as this research and acts did.