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Review article: Biomedical intelligence

Vol. 144 No. 3940 (2014)

Research dedicated to children: SwissPedNet with its international links overcomes key barriers to proper research in paediatrics

  • Pascale Wenger
  • Urs Frey
  • David Nadal
DOI
https://doi.org/10.4414/smw.2014.14006
Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2014;144:w14006
Published
21.09.2014

Summary

Conducting clinical studies in the paediatric population is complex and difficult. Paediatricians deal with a vulnerable population, which primarily needs protection and where patient numbers are always low. In addition, the pharmaceutical industry often demonstrates lack of interest due to the small and non-rewarding market. Public awareness for the need of paediatric research is likewise limited. This results in lack of funding for academic studies. In Switzerland, there is a new initiative that strives to overcome the given barriers and hurdles. SwissPedNet is still in a start-up phase, but it is now ready for all collaborations of interest and keen to work together with all stakeholders on the medical progress and improvement of paediatric clinical research with the overall goal of implementing evidence-based medicine for our children (www.swisspednet.ch).

References

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  3. The NIHR Medicines for Children Research Network (MCRN) http://www.mcrn.org.uk
  4. Minutes – Enpr-EMA members meeting 27 June 2013 (EMA/543324/2013). http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Minutes/2013/10/WC500152829.pdf
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  7. The European network of paediatric research (Enpr-EMA), SwissPedNet self-assessment form http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Other/2013/03/WC500140646.pdf
  8. StaR Child Health, Standards for Research in Child Health. http://ifsrc.org/home/standards/

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