Promising New Medicines In The PharmaceuticalPipeline (NAPSA)—There is encourag- ing news in the fight against childhood diseases. At America’s pharmaceutical research and biotechnology companies, researchers are testing 244 new medicines to help meet the special health needs of children. These medicines offer hope that the significant improvements made in children’s health over the past few decades will continue and even accelerate in the years to come. Healthier Children A child born today can expect to live 30 years longer than a child born a century ago, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. Statistics also show that infant mortality has sunk to record lows. Vaccines help protect children from such diseases as polio, measles, mumps, chicken pox, diphtheria and whooping cough. Antibiotics help prevent deaths from pneumonia, scarlet fever and other diseases. Great strides have been madein the battle against cancer in children. Because of major treatment advances, 80 percent of children diagnosed with cancer last year will survive five years or longer, compared to less than 50 percent just 30 years ago, according to the American Cancer Society. What’s Coming New medicines in the pipeline include: 36 for genetic disorders including medicines for cystic fibrosis, which affects 30,000 American children and adults; 25 for cancer, which, despite significant progress, is still the leading cause of death among American children between ages 5 and 24; 23 for neurological disorders, including medicines for epilepsy, which affects more than 300,000 New medicines and vaccines play an important role in protecting and prolonging children’s lives. schoolchildren under age 14 in the United States; 15 for respiratory disorders, including medicines for asthma, which is the leading serious chronic disease amongchildren, affecting some6.7 million children. “In addition to creating new medicines specifically to meet the health needs of children,” said Billy Tauzin, president and CEO of the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America, “biopharmaceutical research companies are testing many existing medicines to determine safe and effective dosage levels for children. As many as 120 medicines now contain new safety, efficacy, dosing andrisk information labeling designed specifically to help doctors working with children.” Learn More For more information on new medicines being researched to help children, visit www.PhRMA.org.If you are uninsured and need help paying for your child’s medicine, you may qualify for free or nearly free medicines from one or more of 475 patient assistance programs nationally, including more than 200 supported by America’s pharmaceutical research companies. Visit www.pparx.org.
