FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 24, 1997
Contact: Jeff Trewhitt; (202) 835-3464
PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANIES HAVE 146 MEDICINES IN TESTING FOR CHILDREN
Washington, D.C. -- There are currently 146 drugs and vaccines in development for children, according to a survey released today by the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA).
The survey found 36 medicines in testing for cancer, the leading disease killer of children; nine for AIDS, the leading cause of death in children ages two to five years in some urban areas; 15 for asthma, which accounts for 159,000 hospitalizations of children each year; and five for cystic fibrosis, the number one genetic killer of children and young adults. In addition, there are 22 vaccines in development -- including some that could prevent deadly meningococcal viruses and the severe gastroenteritis caused by rotavirus infections.
All of these potential medicines have been or are being tested in children, and all of the companies testing the medicines intend to seek the Food and Drug Administration's approval specifically for the use of the medicines in children.
"Children are America's most precious resource. As a parent of two children with cystic fibrosis, I am particularly proud that the pharmaceutical industry is committed to improving children's health," said PhRMA President Alan F. Holmer. Holmer pointed out that half the children born in the U.S. before 1850 never even reached the age of five.
"Take a walk through an old cemetery, and look at all the tiny headstones with Victorian sculptures of lambs and little angels," suggested Holmer. "Read the inscriptions, the short and simple annals of children who died young. While far too many children still die of disease each year, pharmaceutical research has made the outlook much brighter than it used to be. Antibiotics, vaccines and other breakthroughs have consigned many childhood diseases to the history books, and pharmaceutical companies are zeroing in on those that still afflict children."
In addition to looking for cures for diseases that kill and disable children, pharmaceutical companies are also committed to helping children whose families cannot afford to pay for their medical care, Holmer said. He stressed that all major drug companies sponsor access programs to provide medicines to needy patients, including children.
The survey report, "New Medicines in Development for Children," lists the 146 medicines in development, and includes information about who is developing the medicine, what disease it is targeting, and what the development status is. All of the medicines listed are either in clinical trials or under review by the Food and Drug Administration. The report also contains facts and figures about children's health, a glossary and examples of pharmaceutical company support of children's health programs.
The report is available on PhRMA's Internet home page, http://www.phrma.org; on PhRMA's Fax-On-Demand (202) 895-6060; or by writing to PhRMA, 1100 15th Street, N.W., Suite 900, Washington, D.C. 20005.
The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) represents the country's leading research-based pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, which are devoted to inventing medicines that allow patients to lead longer, happier, healthier and more productive lives. Investing nearly $19 billion a year in discovering and developing new medicines, PhRMA companies are leading the way in the search for cures.
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PhRMA Internet Address: http://www.phrma.org
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