Child health should be one of the primary concerns of a nation. Children are the future of a country and there should be strict rules regarding the medicines applied on them. Unfortunately, the most established pharmaceutical companies who manufacture medicines for kids do not always obey the rules. They find loopholes in the drug related rules and market adult medicines for children.
Medicines not prepared especially for children can be injurious to their health. In many cases, adult medicines are prescribed to children suffering from complex diseases like cancer. Little or no research is being conducted for inventing new medicines for children suffering from dire diseases. Medical neglect and harmful medicines are increasing the rate of child mortality.
Child healthcare does not only refer to balanced diet and precautionary measures. It also refers to the proper pediatrician approved treatments and medicines for curing them from diseases. Children often suffer from seasonal fever, influenza, pox and other diseases.
These diseases increase the immunity of the body. They expose the body to adverse circumstances under which the immunity mechanism starts working.
Children grow up to become stronger and they do not suffer from serious diseases as much as the grown ups. It is profitable for the pharmaceutical companies to produce medicines for the adults who fall sick more often and suffer from many complicated ailments.
For producing medicines, doctors will have to run tests on the patients. It is difficult for them to child patients for research and testing. They are not even interested in organizing tests for children because it is costly. Adult medicines that are not approved by pediatricians are being administered to the little kids suffering from cancer.
In some countries, national and international networks have been established for conducting research on ill children and inventing suitable medicines for them. Actually, the drugs that work on the adults also help in curbing the same disease in children. The physicians just reduce the dosage amount to make those medicines more suitable for kids. However, that is not enough to ensure good health in children as adult medicines can impart multiple side effects.
Summary:
Pharmaceuticals should operate more carefully and responsibly, and make separate medicines for children. The adult medicines should not be prescribed to children, as they may have side effects.