LAUSR

INTRODUCTION It is necessary to know the extent and subject matter of pediatric clinical drug research in Argentina and establish the differences with the adult population. OBJECTIVES To compare adult and pediatric clinical drug trials in terms of number, phase, design (placebo as control, proportion of blind/open-label trials), studied diseases. Specifically in pediatrics, to determine if studied diseases are consistent with the leading causes of infant and child mortality in Argentina. METHODS Analytical, observational, crosssectional study conducted at the National Drug, Food and Technology Administration of Argentina (Administración Nacional de Medicamentos, Alimentos y Tecnología Médica, ANMAT) in trials approved between 2011 and 2014. RESULTS Out of 614 trials, 552 (90 %) were done in adults and 62 (10 %), in children. Phase III studies predominated in both adults (77 %) and children (69 %). In relation to study design, placebo control (49 %) and blinding (74 %) were more common in adults compared to children (31 % and 58 %, respectively). The most frequently studied diseases were tumors in adults and respiratory, musculoskeletal and connective tissue diseases in children. No correlation was observed between studied diseases and infant and child mortality. CONCLUSIONS 1) More studies were done in adults than in children; 2) most studies corresponded to phase III; 3) differences in study design were observed between children and adults; 4) studied diseases were different in each population; 5) in pediatrics, no correlation was observed between the studied diseases and the leading causes of infant and child mortality in Argentina.