Calls for more cancer drug trials on children

The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR), the Royal Marsden cancer hospital and parents of children who have died from cancer have have raised concern that there are not enough cancer medicines being trialled in children or licensed for use in children.

The groups highlighted that 62 per cent of approved EU cancer drugs were not tested on under-18s, and advised that the age limit for adult clinical trials should be lowered to include teenagers.

Currently, EU regulations, namely the the EU Paediatric Regulation allows drug manufacturers to opt out of running trials on children. However, cancer researchers and charities have argued that the way a drug works means it could be effective in children even if it does not seem to be relevant.

The body’s have called for fewer waivers to be issued and more trials on children to take place.

Professor Paul Workman, chief executive of the ICR, said: “Children with cancer are currently missing out on the kind of innovative cancer treatments that are becoming increasingly common in adults because of outdated European rules that have failed to keep up with advances in science. We’ve been urging decision makers to change the regulation for several years now, so that adult cancer drugs are tested in children whenever their mechanism of action suggests they could be effective. 

“This is a real chance for reform to prevent the current out-of-date approach from being cemented for a decade. It could also be the last chance to make meaningful changes that apply across Europe, including the UK, before we leave the EU. It’s vital that whatever deal the UK does preserves access to Europe-wide clinical trials for children with cancer, and avoids creating even longer delays in children accessing the latest cancer medicines.”