Establishment of a children's Drugs and Therapeutics Committee to ensure evidence‐based and cost‐effective medical treatment for children

Abstract

AimThe prevalence of undocumented medical treatments among children is a significant issue, as well as many EU countries lack access to newly developed children friendly medicines. Consequently, there is a pressing need for supplementary resources that can facilitate informed decision‐making regarding children's medication. We therefore aim to describe the process of establishing a children’s Drug and Therapeutics Committee (cDTC), as well as the preparing and implementation of recommendations for children in the capital region of DenmarkMethodFollowing the guidelines outlined by the World Health Organization a cDTC was established. Recommendations for pediatric medication practice were constructed from assessments of medication use patterns among children in the capital region between 2019 and 2021. The recommendations were meticulously crafted based on evaluation of the current marketing authorization landscape and existing best available evidence.ResultsIn 2019, the capital region established the first cDTC supported by expert councils and an editorial board. A total of 2.429 purchase item numbers covering 1.222.846 defined daily doses and 592.088 purchased packages covering 10.200.000 defined daily doses were identified in the secondary and primary sectors, respectively. Three comprehensive lists covering recommendations for newborns and children were published between 2021 and 2020 totaling 331 recommended pharmaceutical products. The recommendations primarily intended for use in the secondary healthcare sector were implemented through the revision of 38 pediatric‐ and six neonatal product ranges throughout capital region.ConclusionRecommendation lists for children governed by a cDTC provide a rational auxiliary tool that can be immediately implemented in the clinic.