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. 2004 Mar;57(3):322-7.
doi: 10.1046/j.1365-2125.2003.02014.x.

Trends in accessibility to medicines for children in New Zealand: 1998-2002

Jocelyn Chui  1 , June Tordoff, Julia Kennedy, David Reith
Affiliations

Trends in accessibility to medicines for children in New Zealand: 1998-2002

Jocelyn Chui et al. Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2004 Mar.

Abstract

Background: Reported rates of unlicensed and off-label use of medicines in children raise concerns regarding overall access of children to medicines

Objective: To assess changes in availability of proprietary formulations suitable for infants and young children; licensing of medicines; and subsidization of medicines for children in New Zealand.

Methods: Review of the New Ethicals Catalogue, New Ethicals Compendium, product data sheets and the New Zealand Pharmaceutical Schedule covering the years 1998-2002 inclusive.

Results: There was a decrease in the total number of medicines licensed in New Zealand from 2014 to 1840; but there was an increase in the number and percentage of suitable formulations that were licensed for paediatric use from 616[31%] to 642[35%]. The number of suitable paediatric formulations that were subsidized decreased from 281[13.9%] to 260[14.1%]. The number of orally available chemical entities with suitable formulations, licensed and subsidized for paediatric use declined from 101[5.0%] to 94[5.1%], but all of these chemical entities that were withdrawn had therapeutic alternatives that were licensed and subsidized. Only 36% of new medicines that had licensing for children were licensed for the 0-23 month age group.

Conclusion: There have been modest improvements in licensing of medicines for children in New Zealand from 1998 to 2002.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Proportions of formulations licensed for children by type of formulation. Suitable oral (•), unsuitable oral (▵), inhalers (▪), nasal (⋄), dermal (▾), ear/eye (○), injectable (▴), rectal (□)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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