IFPMA Creates Pediatric Task Force To Help Improve Availability Of Medicines And Vaccines For Children

The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations (IFPMA) has created a special Pediatric Task Force, to enhance the contribution of industry expertise to the important task of improving the availability of medicines and vaccines for children. The IFPMA Pediatric Task Force will work with relevant intergovernmental organizations, non-governmental organizations and other key stakeholders to identify and address opportunities for the systematic expansion of medicine development for younger age groups.


IFPMA Director General Alicia Greenidge said: "The IFPMA Pediatric Task Force will enable more focused work between the industry and other stakeholders, to address effectively and concretely the various obstacles to developing more medicines adapted for children, especially for the developing world. This new task force will serve as a catalyst for that process, inspired by regulatory, World Health Organization and other initiatives -- principally, the critical needs of the world's children."


The IFPMA Pediatric Task Force will establish a positive dialog with the WHO, regulatory authorities, academic researchers and other relevant partners, and share industry's extensive experience in pediatric medicine development.


The Task Force will build on the industry's existing range of pediatric medicine and vaccine development and access activities, and work to address specific concerns highlighted by the WHO(1) and other organizations. These include identifying appropriate dosage forms and strengths of medicines for children (starting with HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and chronic diseases), encouraging R&D of appropriate medicines for diseases that specifically affect children, and ensuring high quality and ethical standards in clinical trials involving children, including informed consent.


The new body will serve as an industry discussion forum, to ensure pediatric medicine R&D and related topics have a prominent position in the industry's agenda. It will also provide a global complement to existing regional and national industry association pediatric medicine groups, such as those set up by the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA) in the European Union, the Japan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association (JPMA) in Japan and the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) in the USA.


The Task Force will provide expert advice on scientific, technical and policy issues related to pediatric medicines and vaccines, including availability and access, as well as research and development. It will help to formulate balanced, informed and constructive global industry positions, and contribute to the development of effective public policies to increase the number of medicines available in safe and effective pediatric formulations.


The IFPMA's new pediatric group brings together a range of complementary skills and knowledge, covering different disciplines such as clinical development, child psychology, ethics, pharmacology, pre-clinical research and regulatory affairs.




(1) WHO Resolution "Better Medicines for Children" (WHA 60.20, 23 May 2007) and WHO's "Make Medicines Child Size" Campaign (launched 7 December 2007).




About the IFPMA


The International Federation of Pharmaceutical Manufacturers & Associations is a non-profit, non-governmental organisation representing national industry associations and companies from both developed and developing countries. Member companies of the IFPMA are research-based pharmaceutical, biotech and vaccine companies.

IFPMA

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