Safer and more effective use of medicines in children How 'virtual children' will make a difference

31 August 2020

The efficacy and safety of about half of all drugs prescribed to children has not been adequately researched. Because growth and development change the way a child's body deals with drugs, it runs an increased risk of receiving ineffective or unsafe drugs. Although many children need medication, the optimal dosage is often not known.

The Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology of the Radboudumc has started further research into more effective and safer drug doses for children, with the help of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Under the leadership of Saskia de Wildt and together with the Kinderformularium, predictive models or 'virtual children' will be used to determine the optimal dosage for children of different ages.

To ensure that children throughout Europe receive these optimized doses, the doses will be made available to doctors and pharmacists via the Kinderformularium and internationally affiliated websites. Doctors and pharmacists will be trained to use these 'virtual' children and to include dosage recommendations in the guidelines for the treatment of children. 

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