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Regulatory and logistical issues influencing access to antineoplastic and supportive care medications for children with cancer in developing countries
Author(s) -
Wiernikowski John T.,
MacLeod Stuart
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
pediatric blood and cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.116
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1545-5017
pISSN - 1545-5009
DOI - 10.1002/pbc.25049
Subject(s) - medicine , economic shortage , blood cancer , developing country , low and middle income countries , pediatric cancer , developed country , commodity , access to medicines , intensive care medicine , global health , cancer , economic growth , environmental health , nursing , business , public health , population , finance , linguistics , philosophy , government (linguistics) , economics
Globally there are numerous impediments, both logistical, regulatory and more recently global drug shortages, hindering pediatric access to therapeutic drugs of all types. Efforts to reduce barriers are ongoing and are especially important in low and middle income countries and for children requiring treatment of conditions such as those encountered in pediatric oncology characterized by the risk of life threatening treatment failures. Progress has been made through the efforts of the World Health Organization and regulators in the US and Europe to encourage the development of therapeutic agents for use in pediatrics and measures taken have fostered the availability of stronger pediatric data to guide therapeutic decisions. Nonetheless, pharmaceuticals remain a global commodity, subject to regulation by the World Trade Organization and this has often had detrimental effects in low and middle income countries. This article emphasizes the need for closer international collaboration to address the barriers currently impeding access to antineoplastic and supportive care medicines for children. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2014; 61:1513–1517. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.