EU Council approves child medicines regulation

The EU Council of Ministers has approved the final text of the long-discussed EU regulation on paediatric medicines, which encourages pharmaceutical manufacturers to test drugs for their effect on younger patients.

Ministers accepted amendments passed by the European Parliament this June that, among other things, insisted on the independence of the EU paediatric committee monitoring children's medicines, and approved special investigation plans into medicines under market authorisation procedures.

A council statement said the law would 'improve child health by increasing the availability throughout the EU of medicinal products that have been appropriately tested and authorised for paediatric use'.