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More studies conducted on medicines for children
/2 Children Receive
of Smokers May Less Medical Care
Children who live in a household where at least one parent smokes are at a great disadvantage when it comes to asthma. Past studies have shown that these children are more likely to develop asthma and their asthma is likely to be more severe than children living in smokefree homes. Now there seems to be a new concern that puts these children at risk. According to a new study, published in the journal Thorax, children who have at least one parent who is a heavy smoker have fewer doctor visits to manage their asthma (2001:56:1.9-12). The study induded 438 asthmatic children, between the ages of 2 to 12 years, who had at least one parent who smoked. Health service records were examined from the 73 medical practices in which these children were patients. The researchers found that there was a relationship between having a parent who smoked in front of the child and the child having fewer medical visits. The highest rates of smoking correlated with the number of doctor visits dropping by one third. This effect was seen most dramatically when the mother was the smoker. The study also showed, however, that when the parents perceived their child's asthma as being severe, they tended to schedule more doctor visits. This led the researchers to hypothesize that a parent's smoking may cause the parent to be less aware of the child's asthma symptoms. Perceiving their child's asthma to be less severe than it is, they, therefore, would make fewer appointments to see the doctor. Another interesting finding was that a parent's smoking did not have this effect on children with other medical conditions, where medical visits were made at the same rate as with non-smoking parents. One reason for this effect with asthma could be that the parents know they should not be smoking around their asthmatMAGAZINE
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call
1.800.527.3284
ic children since second-hand smoke can trigger asthma. Therefore, they are hesitant to take their children to see the doctor because they believe they will be advised not to smoke or reprimanded for doing so. Whatever the reason for these findings, there is an unfortunate effect. These kids, who are at high risk for asthma episodes due to exposure to smoke, are, in many cases, getting inadequate care for their condition. More Studies Conducted Medicines for Children
on
For years, when a drug company studied a new drug, they tested it only on adults. For physicians treating children, this meant very little prescribing information was available and a lot of guess work and trial and error was necessary. Beginning in 1997, however, that began to change. Congress created a program that gave incentives to pharmaceutical companies to conduct drug trials involving children. To encourage companies to develop such studies, they were offered an extra six months of brand-name drug exclusivity. This means that when a brand-name drug comes to the end of its patent, it can get a six-month extension before generic drugs of the same formulation are allowed to hit the market. This extension,
one that has recently been given to Shering-Plough for its allergy drug Claritin, offers great financial benefit to the company. Now the federal government has passed a rule that further strengthens this emphasis on pediatric drug studies. Beginning in December 2000, the FDA has been given the authority to mandate studies involving children for certain drugs when it sees great potential benefit or need. Although there are a number of possible difficulties in conducting studies on children, the government has concluded that obtaining this type of scientific information is essential in order for children to be able to be treated safely and effectively. The government's efforts to encourage more pediatric drug studies seem to be working. During the period of 1991 to 1997, only 11 studies were done to test drugs on a pediatric population. Since the inception of the new program, more than 200 hundred studies have been proposed for various medications. This is good news for doctors, for they will have many more tools and more information available to them when treating children with much-needed medications. Ozone Linked Absenteeism
to School
According to a new study, high levels of ozone air pollution, often referred to as smog, can have a significant impact on children's health, causing them to be absent from school. The study was conducted in the area around a city known for its ozone pollution-Los Angeles, California. The researchers monitored air pollution levels of ozone, nitrous oxide and other fine particles for a period of ASTHMA
six months. They then compared the levels each day to the number of school absentees among a group of 2,081 children. During this study period, when a child was absent from school, the researchers called the child's home to find out why the child was absent. If it was due to an illness, they obtained specific information about the symptoms and severity of the illness. According to the study, an increase in ozone levels of as little as 20 parts per billion corresponded to an increase in absenteeism due to respiratory illness of 83 percent. It also corresponded with an even greater increase in lower respiratory illness showing that the pollution does penetrate and cause problems in the lungs. At the same increased rate of pollution, lower respiratory illness, including a wet cough, increased by 173 percent. This study shows that ozone pollution does affect children's health to the degree that they miss school, and does so at pollution levels below the national allowable standards. MAGAZINE
to
subscribe
call
1.800.527.3284
17
of Smokers May Less Medical Care
Children who live in a household where at least one parent smokes are at a great disadvantage when it comes to asthma. Past studies have shown that these children are more likely to develop asthma and their asthma is likely to be more severe than children living in smokefree homes. Now there seems to be a new concern that puts these children at risk. According to a new study, published in the journal Thorax, children who have at least one parent who is a heavy smoker have fewer doctor visits to manage their asthma (2001:56:1.9-12). The study induded 438 asthmatic children, between the ages of 2 to 12 years, who had at least one parent who smoked. Health service records were examined from the 73 medical practices in which these children were patients. The researchers found that there was a relationship between having a parent who smoked in front of the child and the child having fewer medical visits. The highest rates of smoking correlated with the number of doctor visits dropping by one third. This effect was seen most dramatically when the mother was the smoker. The study also showed, however, that when the parents perceived their child's asthma as being severe, they tended to schedule more doctor visits. This led the researchers to hypothesize that a parent's smoking may cause the parent to be less aware of the child's asthma symptoms. Perceiving their child's asthma to be less severe than it is, they, therefore, would make fewer appointments to see the doctor. Another interesting finding was that a parent's smoking did not have this effect on children with other medical conditions, where medical visits were made at the same rate as with non-smoking parents. One reason for this effect with asthma could be that the parents know they should not be smoking around their asthmatMAGAZINE
to
subscribe
call
1.800.527.3284
ic children since second-hand smoke can trigger asthma. Therefore, they are hesitant to take their children to see the doctor because they believe they will be advised not to smoke or reprimanded for doing so. Whatever the reason for these findings, there is an unfortunate effect. These kids, who are at high risk for asthma episodes due to exposure to smoke, are, in many cases, getting inadequate care for their condition. More Studies Conducted Medicines for Children
on
For years, when a drug company studied a new drug, they tested it only on adults. For physicians treating children, this meant very little prescribing information was available and a lot of guess work and trial and error was necessary. Beginning in 1997, however, that began to change. Congress created a program that gave incentives to pharmaceutical companies to conduct drug trials involving children. To encourage companies to develop such studies, they were offered an extra six months of brand-name drug exclusivity. This means that when a brand-name drug comes to the end of its patent, it can get a six-month extension before generic drugs of the same formulation are allowed to hit the market. This extension,
one that has recently been given to Shering-Plough for its allergy drug Claritin, offers great financial benefit to the company. Now the federal government has passed a rule that further strengthens this emphasis on pediatric drug studies. Beginning in December 2000, the FDA has been given the authority to mandate studies involving children for certain drugs when it sees great potential benefit or need. Although there are a number of possible difficulties in conducting studies on children, the government has concluded that obtaining this type of scientific information is essential in order for children to be able to be treated safely and effectively. The government's efforts to encourage more pediatric drug studies seem to be working. During the period of 1991 to 1997, only 11 studies were done to test drugs on a pediatric population. Since the inception of the new program, more than 200 hundred studies have been proposed for various medications. This is good news for doctors, for they will have many more tools and more information available to them when treating children with much-needed medications. Ozone Linked Absenteeism
to School
According to a new study, high levels of ozone air pollution, often referred to as smog, can have a significant impact on children's health, causing them to be absent from school. The study was conducted in the area around a city known for its ozone pollution-Los Angeles, California. The researchers monitored air pollution levels of ozone, nitrous oxide and other fine particles for a period of ASTHMA
six months. They then compared the levels each day to the number of school absentees among a group of 2,081 children. During this study period, when a child was absent from school, the researchers called the child's home to find out why the child was absent. If it was due to an illness, they obtained specific information about the symptoms and severity of the illness. According to the study, an increase in ozone levels of as little as 20 parts per billion corresponded to an increase in absenteeism due to respiratory illness of 83 percent. It also corresponded with an even greater increase in lower respiratory illness showing that the pollution does penetrate and cause problems in the lungs. At the same increased rate of pollution, lower respiratory illness, including a wet cough, increased by 173 percent. This study shows that ozone pollution does affect children's health to the degree that they miss school, and does so at pollution levels below the national allowable standards. MAGAZINE
to
subscribe
call
1.800.527.3284
17