The Wall Street Journal Health Blog had an eye-opening post recently about kids' prescription drugs. The post noted that spending on drugs for kids rose nearly 11 percent last year, the most for any age group, according to an annual drug trend report by Medco Health Systems (a leading pharmacy benefit manager).
Medco’s analysis of pediatric medication use found that one in four children covered by health insurance took at least one prescription medication to treat a chronic condition. The use of anti-psychotic, diabetes and asthma drugs grew the most over the past nine years.
The Journal’s angle was that this rise in drug spending was part of an overall trend toward increased health care costs. That’s an important point. But my gut reaction to this report comes from a different perspective: Why are kids taking so many prescription drugs? And are we sure they are all safe and appropriate for children?
To be fair, the Journal points out that some of the spending jump had to do with increased H1N1 flu vaccinations, “but that built on a base of increasing use of prescription drugs in children due to obesity, diabetes and other health issues that used to be largely the province of the middle-aged.”
Let’s be clear. If we are detecting and treating conditions such as obesity and diabetes earlier than ever, that’s a good thing. But at the same time, government regulators need to ensure that our children are not being exposed to pharmaceuticals that have not been adequately evaluated for their use. To do anything less is simply a prescription for trouble.
Take the recent coverage of anti-psychotic drug use for children, which I wrote about here. In that case, the Food and Drug Administration stepped in to order further study because the agency was concerned about possible side effects on children. It’s a perfect example of how regulators need to be particularly vigilant about understanding the risks of powerful drugs and their side effects on children.
At Sokolove Law, we have always had an appreciation of the power of new medicines to prevent illness and to improve the quality of life. But we are also aware of the potential dangers posed by these drugs when their use is not fully understood by doctors, or properly regulated by the government.
We’ve seen the effects of this lack of vigilance in the faces of countless victims over the years. If you or a loved one has suffered side effects from dangerous drugs, you may have legal rights.