WHO Receives Funds for Children's Medicines Research – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

GENEVA -- WHO has received US$ 9.7 million in grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation to work with UNICEF to conduct crucial research in children’s medicines, with the aim of increasing the number of child-size medicines designed and formulated specifically for children.

Currently, many medicines are only designed for adults. More than 50% of medicines prescribed for children have either not been developed specifically for children or have not been proven to be effective and safe for their use. Therefore, many children lack access to essential treatment because no suitable paediatric dosage or formulation of the necessary medicine exists, or those that do exist are not available or are too expensive.

To read the full press release, visit the WHO web site.