A new global guide to children’s medicines has highlighted shortages in many common diseases.
The World Health Organisation guide aims to help doctors identify what medicines are available in their own countries – and to stimulate pressure for development and supply of more drugs.
Drugs for care of new-born babies are lacking in poor countries, especially for treating breathing problems, it says.
And few manufacturers are producing child medicines for common tropical diseases such as schistosomiasis and parasite diseases, it says.
Experts warn that many doctors and families have to resort to using portions of adult drugs or crushing tablets to provide medicines for children – and that this is not always "safe and effective".
Francisco Blanco, of UNICEF, joint creator of the guide, said: "While effective medicines exist to fight disease and treat life-threatening conditions like malnutrition, formulations suitable for children are often difficult to source.
"The data in this edition confirms that much more research and effort needs to be made to make medicines for children more available and accessible for those who need them most."
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