A critical comparison between the World Health Organization list of essential medicines for children and the Brazilian list of essential medicines (Rename)

Abstract

The lack of age-appropriate formulations of essential medicines for children in Brazil includes important therapeutic groups and indispensable drugs for severe clinical conditions. Some of these products exist in the Brazilian pharmaceutical market, but not in public facilities; others could be produced by national laboratories with commercial interest or stimulated by a specific governmental policy, as in other countries.

Medication use among children 0-14 years old: population baseline study

“…30 However, as proposed by Coelho et al, the use of a specific list of essential drugs may be part of a comprehensive policy to stimulate the development and manufacturing of medicines for children in Brazil. 9 Some limitations of the present study should be considered. The household survey is subject to biases from interviewers and interviewees, which are not always possible to control.…”

“…8 Considering these facts, it is advisable to establish a specific list of essential medications according to the needs of children, aiming to promote their rational use. 9 In order to contribute to this area, a population-based epidemiological study was conducted in children aged 0-14 years living in urban areas of Vale do Jequitinhonha, located in the northern region of the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. The objective was to identify the prevalence and pattern of medication use, with or without prescription, demonstrating the main groups and types of drugs used, as well as variables that may have influenced this use.…”

Toxic excipients in medications for neonates in Brazil

“…Prescribing in public institutions in Brazil is standardised at each institution based on the list of essential medicines in the country, with variations in the profile with regard to local factors, product availability and prices [7]. The registration of new drugs is regulated by ANVISA, yet there are no specific rules for paediatric medicines or restrictions on the presence of excipients in them.…”

Use of medicines and other products for therapeutic purposes among children in Brazil

“…It should be noted that, in some cases, drugs not approved by the FDA are indicated in Brazilian standard package inserts, as is the case of betamethasone and ambroxol d , e . If, on the one hand, the use of non-approved drugs may represent a potentially inappropriate administration of drugs whose efficacy and safety have not been established, on the other it may reflect the lack of therapeutic options to treat health conditions prevalent in children, such as asthma, rhinitis, and acute or chronic coughing, among others 5 .…”