PHILADELPHIA, July 20 (UPI) -- Doctors are growing concerned over the lack of interest in the United States in developing drugs for young cancer patients, reports USA Today.
They say several experimental drugs, though successful, never reach the market because the cancers they treat are too rare to attract drug developers.
A government report released in April found a "near absence" of research into pediatric cancer drugs. Another report says about half of the oncology drugs to treat people who are at least 20 years old, the newspaper said.
Doctors say most drugs given to children were developed for adults, then passed to children. In the past 10 years, only one cancer drug, Clolar, has received initial approval for children.
One cancer specialist said adults attract more research than children because they are a far larger and more lucrative market.
Drug companies say organizing clinical trials for children is difficult. Besides, they say doctors are reluctant to try experimental drugs in kids who might be cured by standard ones. Enrolling enough kids to test a new drug can take years.
The Food and Drug Administration has begun offering incentives to encourage companies to make pediatric drugs.
