Challenges in Paediatric Clinical Trials: How to Make It Feasible

The number of paediatric clinical trials in EU has remarkably increased in the last decade in response to the implementation of the new Paediatric Regulation and incentives aiming to define the need of child-specific drug development. Nevertheless, the gap between the number of paediatric and adult-randomised controlled trials is still substantial in almost every major clinical specialty. Economic, ethical, technological, geographical and cultural factors can influence the paediatric drug development and can represent the challenges to be faced for a smooth conduction of a paediatric clinical trial. The need for trials and paediatric patient's engagement to commensurate with the approved paediatric investigation plans is so high that it is crucial to correctly address key factors. Particular care should be taken to develop well-designed studies, with efficient management plans, experienced administrative and healthcare personnel, awareness of socio-cultural features of the geographic areas involved and good communication with patients and their families in order to ensure 'trial preparedness'. A case study on a multinational paediatric clinical trial, presented within the recently ended research project 'DEferiprone Evaluation in Paediatrics (DEEP)', was reported to exemplify some of the challenges encountered by the authors and the actions taken to overcome them.