RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Paediatric clinical pharmacology in the UK
JF Archives of Disease in Childhood
JO Arch Dis Child
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
SP 1143
OP 1146
DO 10.1136/archdischild-2014-306853
VO 99
IS 12
A1 Imti Choonara
A1 Helen Sammons
YR 2014
UL http://adc.bmj.com/content/99/12/1143.abstract
AB Paediatric clinical pharmacology is the scientific study of medicines in children and is a relatively new subspecialty in paediatrics in the UK. Training encompasses both the study of the effectiveness of drugs in children (clinical trials) and aspects of drug toxicity (pharmacovigilance). Ethical issues in relation to clinical trials and also studies of the pharmacokinetics and drug metabolism in children are crucial. Paediatric patients require formulations that young children in particular are able to take. The scientific evidence generated from clinical trials, pharmacokinetic studies and studies of drug toxicity all need to be applied in order to ensure that medicines are used rationally in children.