The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 274 No 7352 p672
4 June 2005

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News summary

UK paediatric incentive consultation starts

Consultation has started in the UK on European plans (PDF 110K) intended to make more properly tested medicines available for paediatric use so that children do not have to be prescribed unlicensed or off-label medicines (PJ, 20 March 2004, p341).

The aim of the European proposal is to promote the research, development and authorisation of medicines for use by children. It seeks to do this by offering incentives in the form of patent extensions and market exclusivity to companies that test medicines for use in children, regardless of whether the outcome is positive.

The MHRA consultation (PDF 220K) and online response form closes on 17 August.