1
|
Warraitch A, Wacker C, Biju S, Lee M, Bruce D, Curran P, Khraisha Q, Hadfield K. Positive Impacts of Adolescent Involvement in Health Research: An Umbrella Review. J Adolesc Health 2024; 75:218-230. [PMID: 38597838 DOI: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2024.02.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Despite an increased recognition of the right of adolescents to be involved in decisions that affect them, young people continue to be under-involved in health research. One of the reasons is a lack of awareness among researchers on the current evidence base around the benefits of involving adolescents. To address this, we conducted an umbrella review to synthesize the evidence on the positive impacts of adolescent involvement in health research. This umbrella review was preregistered with PROSPERO (CRD42021287467). We searched 11 databases, Google Scholar, PROSPERO, reference lists, 10 journals, websites of 472 organizations, and sought input from experts. Ultimately, we included 99 review articles. We found that adolescent involvement has many positive impacts on young people, including increased knowledge and skills; personal development; financial benefits; career and academic growth; enhanced relationships; and valuing their experience. The positive impacts of adolescent involvement on the research itself include increased relevance of the study to adolescents, improved recruitment, development of more adolescent-friendly materials, enhanced data collection and analysis, and more effective dissemination. Researchers also benefited from adolescents' involvement through increased knowledge, skills, and a shift in their attitudes. The evidence supporting the positive impacts of adolescent involvement in research is substantial but limited by a lack of rigorous evaluation, inconsistent reporting, and unclear evaluation methods.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Azza Warraitch
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
| | - Ciara Wacker
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Sanjana Biju
- Department of Social Work and Social Policy, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Maria Lee
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Delali Bruce
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Paul Curran
- Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Qusai Khraisha
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kristin Hadfield
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland; Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Erceg D, Jakirović M, Prgomet L, Madunić M, Turkalj M. Conducting Drug Treatment Trials in Children: Opportunities and Challenges. Pharmaceut Med 2024; 38:179-204. [PMID: 38730200 DOI: 10.1007/s40290-024-00523-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Children were often referred to as "therapeutic orphans" in the past due to different reasons such as ethical, regulatory, economic, scientific, etc., ones. They were exposed to avoidable risks while missing out on therapeutic advances. Pediatric patients have suffered from a lack of scientific and regulatory standards (e.g., proper drug testing, authorization of medicines for their use, etc.), although the pharmaceutical legislative framework, which ensures the high standards of safety, quality, and efficacy of medicinal products for use in adults, was developed primarily in response to past "drug disasters," mainly involving children. The adoption of pediatric regulatory initiatives first in the USA and then in Europe and other countries and regions has significantly changed the worldwide frameworks and permanently changed pediatric drug research and development. This article tries to give various perspectives with historical context, a review of the different challenges and opportunities as well as important stakeholders in pediatric drug development. The pediatric trial networks are probably the most important stakeholder that enables efficient patient recruitment, access to better resource utilization, and global collaboration of different stakeholders necessary for performing quality and well-designed clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Damir Erceg
- "Srebrnjak" Children's Hospital, Clinical Trials Unit, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
- School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia.
- Faculty of Dental Medicine and Health, University of Osijek, "Josip Juraj Strossmayer", 31000, Osijek, Croatia.
- Medical School, University of Osijek "Josip Juraj Strossmayer", 31000, Osijek, Croatia.
| | - Marina Jakirović
- "Srebrnjak" Children's Hospital, Clinical Trials Unit, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Luka Prgomet
- Institute of Emergency Medicine of Zagreb County, 10410, Velika Gorica, Croatia
| | - Marina Madunić
- Emergency Department, General Hospital Zabok, 49210, Zabok, Croatia
| | - Mirjana Turkalj
- "Srebrnjak" Children's Hospital, Clinical Trials Unit, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
- School of Medicine, Catholic University of Croatia, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
- Medical School, University of Osijek "Josip Juraj Strossmayer", 31000, Osijek, Croatia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Barrett JS, Betourne A, Walls RL, Lasater K, Russell S, Borens A, Rohatagi S, Roddy W. The future of rare disease drug development: the rare disease cures accelerator data analytics platform (RDCA-DAP). J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn 2023; 50:507-519. [PMID: 37131052 PMCID: PMC10673974 DOI: 10.1007/s10928-023-09859-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Rare disease drug development is wrought with challenges not the least of which is access to the limited data currently available throughout the rare disease ecosystem where sharing of the available data is not guaranteed. Most pharmaceutical sponsors seeking to develop agents to treat rare diseases will initiate data landscaping efforts to identify various data sources that might be informative with respect to disease prevalence, patient selection and identification, disease progression and any data projecting likelihood of patient response to therapy including any genetic data. Such data are often difficult to come by for highly prevalent, mainstream disease populations let alone for the 8000 rare disease that make up the pooled patient population of rare disease patients. The future of rare disease drug development will hopefully rely on increased data sharing and collaboration among the entire rare disease ecosystem. One path to achieving this outcome has been the development of the rare disease cures accelerator, data analytics platform (RDCA-DAP) funded by the US FDA and operationalized by the Critical Path Institute. FDA intentions were clearly focused on improving the quality of rare disease regulatory applications by sponsors seeking to develop treatment options for various rare disease populations. As this initiative moves into its second year of operations it is envisioned that the increased connectivity to new and diverse data streams and tools will result in solutions that benefit the entire rare disease ecosystem and that the platform becomes a Collaboratory for engagement of this ecosystem that also includes patients and caregivers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey S Barrett
- Aridhia Digital Research Environment, Glasgow, UK.
- Aridhia Bioinformatics, 163 Bath Street, Glasgow, G2 4SQ, United Kingdom.
| | | | | | - Kara Lasater
- Aridhia Digital Research Environment, Glasgow, UK
| | | | | | | | - Will Roddy
- Critical Path Institute, Tucson, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Zaslawski Z, Dib K, Tsang VWL, Orr SL, Birnie KA, Lowthian T, Alidina Z, Chesick‐Gordis M, Kelly LE. Co-designing clinical trials alongside youth with chronic pain. PAEDIATRIC & NEONATAL PAIN 2023; 5:142-154. [PMID: 38149217 PMCID: PMC10749402 DOI: 10.1002/pne2.12105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 12/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
Youth have a right to participate in research that will inform the care that they receive. Engagement with children and young people has been shown to improve rates of enrollment and retention in clinical trials as well as reduce research waste. The aim of the study is to gain practical insight on the design of trials specifically on (1) recruitment and retention preferences, (2) potential barriers to research, and (3) study design optimization. Based on this youth engagement, we will co-design two clinical trials in headaches with youth. Two recruitment strategies were used to recruit 16 youth from across Canada (aged 15-18 years) from an existing youth group, the KidsCan Young Persons' Research Advisory Group (YPRAG) and a new youth group in collaboration with Solutions for Kids in Pain (SKIP). Four virtual, semi-structured discussion groups were held between April and December 2020, which included pre-circulated materials and utilized two distinct upcoming planned trials as examples for specific methods feedback. Individual engagement evaluations were completed following the final group session using the Public and Patient Engagement Evaluation Tool. Descriptive results were shared with participants prior to publication to ensure appropriate interpretation. The discussion was centred around three themes: recruitment and retention preferences, potential barriers to participation, and study design optimization. Youth indicated that they would prefer to be contacted for a potential study directly by their physician (not over social media), that they would like to develop rapport with study staff, and that one of the barriers to participation is the time commitment. The youth also provided feedback on the design of the clinical trial including outcome measurement tools, data collection, and engagement methods. Feedback on the virtual format of the engagement events indicated that participants appreciated the ease of the online discussion and that the open-ended discussion allowed for easy exchange of ideas. They felt that despite a gender imbalance (towards females) it was an overall inclusive environment. All participants reported believing that their engagement will make a difference to the work of the research team in designing the clinical trials. Perspectives from a diverse group of youth meaningfully improved the design and conduct of two clinical trials for headaches in children. This study provides a framework for future researchers to engage youth in the co-design of clinical trials using online engagement sessions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zina Zaslawski
- George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare InnovationWinnipegManitobaCanada
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| | - Katherine Dib
- Patient PartnerCanadian Collaborative for Childhood Cannabinoid Therapeutics (C4T)HalifaxNova ScotiaCanada
| | - Vivian W. L. Tsang
- KidsCan Young Persons' Research Advisory Group under the Maternal Infant Child and Youth Research NetworkVancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Serena L. Orr
- Division of NeurologyAlberta Children's HospitalCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of Pediatrics, Cumming School of MedicineUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Kathryn A. Birnie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain MedicineUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
- Department of Community Health SciencesUniversity of CalgaryCalgaryAlbertaCanada
| | - Trinity Lowthian
- Patient PartnerCanadian Collaborative for Childhood Cannabinoid Therapeutics (C4T)OttawaOntarioCanada
| | - Zahra Alidina
- Patient PartnerCanadian Collaborative for Childhood Cannabinoid Therapeutics (C4T)Holland LandingOntarioCanada
| | - Melila Chesick‐Gordis
- Patient PartnerCanadian Collaborative for Childhood Cannabinoid Therapeutics (C4T)VancouverBritish ColumbiaCanada
| | - Lauren E. Kelly
- George and Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare InnovationWinnipegManitobaCanada
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Max Rady College of MedicineUniversity of ManitobaWinnipegManitobaCanada
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Lee SKM, Smith L, Tan ECK, Cairns R, Grunstein R, Cheung JMY. Melatonin use in children and adolescents: A scoping review of caregiver perspectives. Sleep Med Rev 2023; 70:101808. [PMID: 37451058 DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2023.101808] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Despite melatonin's popularity as a pediatric sleep-aid, little has been investigated around caregivers' understanding and perception of melatonin use for their dependent. This scoping review analyzes the current literature on pediatric melatonin use, to understand how caregivers' perceptions around melatonin are shaped by their illness/medication-related beliefs, treatment experience and preferences. A literature search was conducted across Embase, Medline, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, generating 184 results for screening against the inclusion criteria. Nineteen studies were retrieved, comprising of 1561 children and adolescents, aged 8.7 ± 2.3 years (range: 0-44 years), conducted primarily in the United States of America (n = 6), Canada (n = 3) and the Netherlands (n = 3). Studies were evaluated for their study design and caregiver-centered outcomes, encompassing: 1) illness/treatment-related beliefs, 2) treatment satisfaction/effectiveness, 3) treatment preference/acceptability, and 4) impact of child's sleep disturbance on caregivers' quality-of-life. Sleep disturbances necessitating melatonin use occurred alongside congenital/neurodevelopmental comorbidities in 18 studies (95%). Melatonin was commonly associated with "naturalness" and "safety". Concepts of treatment satisfaction versus effectiveness were minimally differentiated within included studies. Caregivers preferred concurrent use of melatonin and behavioral interventions for management of their dependents' sleep. Improved sleep in the dependent generally led to better quality-of-life for caregivers and their family.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha K M Lee
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sleep and Circadian Research Group, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia
| | - Lorraine Smith
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Edwin C K Tan
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Rose Cairns
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; New South Wales Poisons Information Center, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Sydney, Australia
| | - Ronald Grunstein
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sleep and Circadian Research Group, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; CIRUS Centre for Sleep and Chronobiology, Woolcock Institute of Medical Research, Sydney, Australia; Central Clinical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia
| | - Janet M Y Cheung
- Sydney Pharmacy School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia; Sleep Research Group, Charles Perkins Center, The University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Warraitch A, Bruce D, Lee M, Curran P, Khraisha Q, Hadfield K. Involving adolescents in the design, implementation, evaluation and dissemination of health research: an umbrella review protocol. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e069695. [PMID: 37270189 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION A lack of awareness on how to engage adolescents in research has been reported as one of the barriers to meaningful youth involvement in health research. Currently, available guidelines on youth involvement are limited in terms of the scope (e.g., focused on limited health research areas), content (e.g., include broad principles) and context (e.g., most guidelines are from high-income countries) for which the guidelines are applicable. To address this, we will develop a set of comprehensive guidelines based on consolidated evidence on youth involvement in health research. To inform these guidelines, we are first conducting an umbrella review to (1) summarise and synthesise findings from reviews on involving adolescents in health research, (2) consolidate the challenges experienced in youth involvement and the recommendations to mitigate these challenges, (3) identify best practices and (4) identify gaps and methodological weaknesses in the extant literature on involving adolescents in health research. METHODS AND ANALYSIS We will include review articles exploring adolescents' involvement in studies aiming to improve their physical or mental health. Databases to be searched include Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Scopus, Embase, PsycINFO, PsycArticles, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Epistemonikos and Health Systems Evidence. A grey literature search will be conducted in Web of Science, ProQuest, Google Scholar and PROSPERO, supplemented by a handsearch of the reference lists of eligible reviews, relevant journals, websites of related organisations and input from experts. Data will be analysed using narrative synthesis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION Ethical approval is not required as we are not collecting participant data as part of this review. The findings of this umbrella review will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, participatory workshops and academic conferences. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER CRD42021287467.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Azza Warraitch
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Delali Bruce
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Maria Lee
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Paul Curran
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Qusai Khraisha
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Kristin Hadfield
- Trinity Centre for Global Health, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
- School of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
de Rojas T, Kearns P, Blanc P, Skolnik J, Fox E, Knox L, Rousseau R, Doz F, Bird N, Pearson AJ, Vassal G. Changing incentives to ACCELERATE drug development for paediatric cancer. Cancer Med 2023; 12:8825-8837. [PMID: 36645217 PMCID: PMC10134303 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5627] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 01/03/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND More effective incentives are needed to motivate paediatric oncology drug development, uncoupling it from dependency on adult drug development. Although the current European and North-American legislations aim to promote drug development for paediatrics and rare diseases, children and adolescents with cancer have not benefited as expected from these initiatives and cancer remains the first cause of death by disease in children older than one. Drug development for childhood cancer remains dependent on adult cancer indications and their potential market. The balance between the investment needed to execute a Paediatric Investigation Plan (PIP) in Europe and an initial Paediatric Study Plan (iPSP) in the US, coupled with the potential financial reward has not been sufficiently attractive to incite the pharmaceutical industry to develop drugs for rare indications such as childhood cancer. METHODS We propose changes in the timing and nature of the rewards within the European Paediatric Medicine Regulation (PMR) and Regulation on Orphan Medicinal Products (both currently under review), which would drive earlier initiation of paediatric oncology studies and provide incentives for drug development specifically for childhood indications. RESULTS We suggest modifying the PMR to ensure mechanism-of-action driven mandatory PIP and reorganization of incentives to a stepwise and incremental approach. Interim and final deliverables should be defined within a PIP or iPSP, each attracting a reward on completion. A crucial change would be the introduction of the interim deliverable requiring production of paediatric data that inform the go/no-go decisions on whether to take a drug forward to paediatric efficacy trials. CONCLUSION Additionally, to address the critical gap in the current framework where there is a complete lack of incentives to promote paediatric-specific cancer drug development, we propose the introduction of early rewards in the Orphan Regulation, with a variant on the US-Creating Hope Act and its priority review vouchers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pamela Kearns
- Cancer Research UK Clinical Trials Unit, National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Birmingham Biomedical Research Centre, Institute of Cancer and Genomic Sciences, Birmingham, UK
| | - Patricia Blanc
- Imagine for Margo - Children Without Cancer, Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France
| | - Jeffrey Skolnik
- INOVIO Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Elizabeth Fox
- St Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee, USA
| | | | | | - François Doz
- SIREDO Centre (Care, Innovation Research in Paediatric, Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology), Institut Curie, Paris, France.,Université Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | | | | | - Gilles Vassal
- ACCELERATE, Brussels, Belgium.,Paediatric and Adolescent Oncology Department, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, INSERM U1015, Université Paris-Saclay, Villejuif, France
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Afolabi MO, Kelly LE. Non-static framework for understanding adaptive designs: an ethical justification in paediatric trials. JOURNAL OF MEDICAL ETHICS 2022; 48:825-831. [PMID: 34362828 PMCID: PMC9626916 DOI: 10.1136/medethics-2021-107263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Many drugs used in paediatric medicine are off-label. There is a rising call for the use of adaptive clinical trial designs (ADs) in responding to the need for safe and effective drugs given their potential to offer efficiency and cost-effective benefits compared with traditional clinical trials. ADs have a strong appeal in paediatric clinical trials given the small number of available participants, limited understanding of age-related variability and the desire to limit exposure to futile or unsafe interventions. Although the ethical value of adaptive trials has increasingly come under scrutiny, there is a paucity of literature on the ethical dilemmas that may be associated with paediatric adaptive designs (PADs). This paper highlights some of these ethical concerns around safety, scientific/social value and caregiver/guardian comprehension of the trial design. Against this background, the paper develops a non-static conceptual lens for understanding PADs. It shows that ADs are epistemically open and reduce some of the knowledge-associated uncertainties inherent in clinical trials as well as fast-track the time to draw conclusions about the value of evaluated drugs/treatments. On this note, the authors argue that PADs are ethically justifiable given they (1) have multiple layers of safety, exposing enrolled children to lesser potential risks, (2) create social/scientific value generally and for paediatric populations in particular, (3) specifically foster the flourishing of paediatric populations and (4) can significantly improve paediatric trial efficiency when properly designed and implemented. However, because PADs are relatively new and their regulatory, ethical and logistical characteristics are yet to be clarified in some jurisdictions, the cooperation of various public and private stakeholders is required to ensure that the interests of children, their caregivers and parents/guardians are best served while exposing paediatric research subjects to the most minimal of risks when they are enrolled in paediatric trials that use ADs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Michael Os Afolabi
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Lauren E Kelly
- Department of Pediatrics and Child Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- Children's Hospital Research Institute of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
- George & Fay Yee Centre for Healthcare Innovation, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Lepola P, Kindred M, Giannuzzi V, Glosli H, Dehlinger-Kremer M, Dalrymple H, Neubauer D, Boylan GB, Conway J, Dewhurst J, Hoffman D. Informed consent and assent guide for paediatric clinical trials in Europe. Arch Dis Child 2022; 107:582-590. [PMID: 34853000 PMCID: PMC9125378 DOI: 10.1136/archdischild-2021-322798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Clinical trial sponsors spend considerable resources preparing informed consent (IC) and assent documentation for multinational paediatric clinical trial applications in Europe due to the limited and dispersed patient populations, the variation of national legal and ethical requirements, and the lack of detailed guidance. The aim of this study was to design new easy-to-use guide publicly available on European Medicines Agency's, Enpr-EMA website for all stakeholders. METHODS Current EU legal, ethical and regulatory guidance for paediatric clinical trials were collated, analysed and divided into 30 subject elements in two tables. The European Network of Young Person's Advisory Group reviewed the data and provided specific comments. A three-level recommendation using 'traffic light' symbols was designed for four age groups of children, according to relevance and the requirements. RESULTS A single guide document includes two tables: (1) general information and (2) trial-specific information. In the age group of 6-9 years old, 92% of the trial-specific subject elements can be or should be included in the IC discussion. Even in the youngest possible age group (2-5 years old children), the number of elements considered was, on average, 52%. CONCLUSION The EU Clinical Trial Regulation (2014) does not contain specific requirements exclusively for paediatric clinical trials. This work is the first to extensively collate all the current legal, regulatory and ethical documentation on the IC process, together with input from adolescents. This guide may increase the ethical standards in paediatric clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pirkko Lepola
- University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Department of Children and Adolescents, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Maxine Kindred
- Portfolio Delivery Operations, Janssen Research & Development, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, UK
| | - Viviana Giannuzzi
- Research Department, Fondazione per la Ricerca Farmacologica Gianni Benzi onlus, Bari, Italy
| | - Heidi Glosli
- Paediatric Clinical Trial Ward, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | | | - Harris Dalrymple
- Center for Pediatric Clinical Developmen, ICON plc, Dublin, Ireland
| | - David Neubauer
- Department of Child, Adolesecent & Developmental Neurology, University Medical Centre Ljubljana, Children's Hospital Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Geraldine B Boylan
- Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Neonatal Brain Research Group, Cork University Maternity Hospital, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jean Conway
- Department of Paediatrics & Child Health, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
| | - Jo Dewhurst
- Center for Pediatric Clinical Developmen, ICON plc, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Diane Hoffman
- Retired from work, Janssen Research and Development LLC, Raritan, New Jersey, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Preston J, Nafria B, Ohmer A, Gaillard S, Dicks P, West L, Turner MA. Developing a More Tailored Approach to Patient and Public Involvement with Children and Families in Pediatric Clinical Research: Lessons Learned. Ther Innov Regul Sci 2022; 56:948-963. [PMID: 35182389 PMCID: PMC8857393 DOI: 10.1007/s43441-022-00382-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022]
Abstract
Listening to, and acting on, the voices of children and families during clinical research and innovation is fundamental to ensuring enhanced pediatric health care, medicines development, and technological advances. While this is often discussed as an important step in ensuring patient-centered care, involving children and families across the life cycle of clinical research is not currently routine. The pediatric research community needs to address how to meaningfully involve children and families if they are to succeed in designing clinical research that suits the needs of pediatric patients and their families. This paper describes how an international community working under the umbrella International Children’s Advisory Network (iCAN) and European Young Person’s Advisory Group Network (eYPAGnet) has involved children and families in the design and delivery of pediatric clinical research. It offers practical solutions through various case studies assessed against seven patient engagement quality criteria within the Patient Engagement Quality Guidance (PEQG) tool, highlighting some of the lessons learnt from involving and engaging with children and families across different stages of clinical research, including pediatric trials for drug development programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- J Preston
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Women's and Children's Health, Liverpool Health Partners, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK. .,Department of Women's and Children's Health, Institute in the Park, University of Liverpool, Alder Hey NHS Children's Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK.
| | - B Nafria
- Institut de Recerca Sant Joan de Déu, Spain and Innovation and Research Department, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu Pg, Santa Rosa 39-57, Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950, Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Ohmer
- International Children's Advisory Network, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - S Gaillard
- Hospices Civils de Lyon, EPICIME-CIC 1407 de Lyon, Inserm, CHU-Lyon, 69677, Bron, France
| | - P Dicks
- NHS-NRS Children, NHS Grampian, Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital, Aberdeen, AB25 2ZG, Scotland, UK
| | - L West
- Georgia Institute of Technology, and International Children's Advisory Network, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - M A Turner
- Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Women's and Children's Health, Liverpool Health Partners, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Improving clinical paediatric research and learning from COVID-19: recommendations by the Conect4Children expert advice group. Pediatr Res 2022; 91:1069-1077. [PMID: 34099854 PMCID: PMC8184051 DOI: 10.1038/s41390-021-01587-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Revised: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on multiple aspects of healthcare, but has also triggered new ways of working, stimulated novel approaches in clinical research and reinforced the value of previous innovations. Conect4children (c4c, www.conect4children.org ) is a large collaborative European network to facilitate the development of new medicines for paediatric populations, and is made up of 35 academic and 10 industry partners from 20 European countries, more than 50 third parties, and around 500 affiliated partners. METHODS We summarise aspects of clinical research in paediatrics stimulated and reinforced by COVID-19 that the Conect4children group recommends regulators, sponsors, and investigators retain for the future, to enhance the efficiency, reduce the cost and burden of medicines and non-interventional studies, and deliver research-equity. FINDINGS We summarise aspects of clinical research in paediatrics stimulated and reinforced by COVID-19 that the Conect4children group recommends regulators, sponsors, and investigators retain for the future, to enhance the efficiency, reduce the cost and burden of medicines and non-interventional studies, and deliver research-equityWe provide examples of research innovation, and follow this with recommendations to improve the efficiency of future trials, drawing on industry perspectives, regulatory considerations, infrastructure requirements and parent-patient-public involvement. We end with a comment on progress made towards greater international harmonisation of paediatric research and how lessons learned from COVID-19 studies might assist in further improvements in this important area.
Collapse
|
12
|
Palermo TM, Walco GA, Paladhi UR, Birnie KA, Crombez G, de la Vega R, Eccleston C, Kashikar-Zuck S, Stone AL. Core outcome set for pediatric chronic pain clinical trials: results from a Delphi poll and consensus meeting. Pain 2021; 162:2539-2547. [PMID: 33625074 PMCID: PMC8442740 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000002241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2020] [Revised: 01/11/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Appropriate outcome measures and high-quality intervention trials are critical to advancing care for children with chronic pain. Our aim was to update a core outcome set for pediatric chronic pain interventions. The first phase involved collecting providers', patients', and parents' perspectives about treatment of pediatric chronic pain to understand clinically meaningful outcomes to be routinely measured. The second phase was to reach consensus of mandatory and optional outcome domains following the OMERACT framework. A modified Delphi study with 2 rounds was conducted including 3 stakeholder groups: children with chronic pain (n = 93), their parents (n = 90), and health care providers who treat youth with chronic pain (n = 52). Quantitative and qualitative data from round 1 of the Delphi study were summarized to identify important outcomes, which were condensed to a list of 10 outcome domains. Round 2 surveys were analyzed to determine the importance of the 10 domains and their relative ranking in each stakeholder group. A virtual consensus conference was held with the steering committee to reach consensus on a set of recommended outcome domains for pediatric chronic pain clinical trials. It was determined, by unanimous vote, that pain severity, pain interference with daily living, overall well-being, and adverse events, including death, would be considered mandatory domains to be assessed in all trials of any type of intervention. Emotional functioning, physical functioning, and sleep were important but optional domains. Last, the research agenda identifies several important emerging areas, including biomarkers. Future work includes selecting appropriate validated measures to assess each outcome domain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tonya M. Palermo
- Center for Child Health, Behavior, and Development, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Gary A. Walco
- Department of Anesthesiology & Pain Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Unmesha Roy Paladhi
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Kathryn A. Birnie
- Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative, and Pain Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Geert Crombez
- Department of Experimental Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
| | | | - Christopher Eccleston
- Department of Experimental Clinical Psychology and Health Psychology, Ghent University, Ghent, Belgium
- Centre for Pain Research, the University of Bath, Bath, United Kingdom
| | - Susmita Kashikar-Zuck
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, United States
- Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH, United States
| | - Amanda L. Stone
- Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Conklin LS, Hoffman EP, van den Anker J. Developmental Pharmacodynamics and Modeling in Pediatric Drug Development. J Clin Pharmacol 2020; 59 Suppl 1:S87-S94. [PMID: 31502687 DOI: 10.1002/jcph.1482] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Challenges in pediatric drug development include small patient numbers, limited outcomes research, ethical barriers, and sparse biosamples. Increasingly, pediatric drug development is focusing on extrapolation: leveraging knowledge about adult disease and drug responses to inform projections of drug and clinical trial performance in pediatric subpopulations. Pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic (PK-PD) modeling and extrapolation aim to reduce the numbers of patients and data points needed to establish efficacy. Planning for PK-PD and biomarker studies should begin early in the adult drug development program. Extrapolation relies on the assumption that both the underlying disease and the mechanism of action of the drug used to treat that disease are similar in adults and pediatric subpopulations. Clearly, developmental changes in PK and PD need to be considered to enhance the quality of PK-PD modeling and, therefore, increase the success of extrapolation. This article focuses on the influence of differences in PD between adults and pediatric subpopulations that are highly relevant for the use of extrapolation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Laurie S Conklin
- Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA.,ReveraGen BioPharma, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Eric P Hoffman
- ReveraGen BioPharma, Rockville, MD, USA.,Binghamton University-SUNY, School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Binghamton, NY, USA
| | - John van den Anker
- ReveraGen BioPharma, Rockville, MD, USA.,Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Children's National Health System, Washington, DC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Tsang VWL, Chew SY, Junker AK. Facilitators and barriers to the training and maintenance of young persons' advisory groups (YPAGs). Int J Pediatr Adolesc Med 2019; 7:166-173. [PMID: 33319014 PMCID: PMC7729230 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpam.2019.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Increasing demands from public and private healthcare coupled with national initiatives in patient-oriented research has led to an increase in avenues to allow patients to be directly involved in research. In particular, the push towards participation of children and youth has resulted in the formation of pediatric patient advisory groups with broad partnerships and consultation requests across the globe. However, there is a lack of evidence to examine the challenges in formation and training of young persons’ advisory groups (YPAGs) and management processes required thereafter. Purpose and objectives This study’s purpose is to document YPAG formation and training protocols around the world, highlight common strengths, and evaluate pitfalls and challenges. The results from this study will subsequently inform the development of standardized training protocols for children and youth to be piloted globally. Methods In this study, 17 select YPAG team leaders from 7 countries were surveyed to determine current training techniques used within existing groups. 17 youth representatives and 16 team leaders were then interviewed to gather further qualitative data on facilitators and barriers that aid or prevent successful initiation and maintenance of these groups. Qualitative interview data was coded and analyzed using NVivo by two independent reviewers (SYC, VWLT). Any inconsistencies in thematic analysis was confirmed by a third reviewer (JB). Results The most common training topics include consent and assent (64.71%), clinical trials (64.71%), and patient safety (70.59%). There are significant discrepancies to the amount of training received by each team. Most YPAGs out of the 17 groups receive no formal training (58.82%) while training sessions in the remaining 7 groups vary in both duration and frequency. Collectively, meetings ranged from 15 minutes to 6 hours long, with the majority of team meetings being 2–3 hours long (58.82%). The most common training facilitators are a positive relationship with a local hospital (82.35%) and access to a dedicated team coordinator (64.71%). 70.59% of team leaders identified a lack of access to appropriate educational materials available as a drawback to the impact of their YPAG, making this the greatest common barrier. Conclusion Bringing children and youth to the forefront of paediatric trials and clinical research facilitates appropriate patient representation in subsequent research decision-making. There is an urgency to create and implement standardized protocols for the training of children and youth, especially in preparation for national and international research consultations. This low barrier framework may be of special interest to lower-middle-income countries who wish to encourage community participation in healthcare.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- V W L Tsang
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 317 - 2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - S Y Chew
- BC Children's Hospital, 4480 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| | - A K Junker
- Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, 317 - 2194 Health Sciences Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z3, Canada.,BC Children's Hospital, 4480 Oak St, Vancouver, BC V6H 3N1, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Vermeulen E, Karsenberg K, van der Lee JH, de Wildt SN. Involve Children and Parents in Clinical Studies. Clin Transl Sci 2019; 13:11-13. [PMID: 31647179 PMCID: PMC6951847 DOI: 10.1111/cts.12696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Eric Vermeulen
- VSOP Dutch Patient Association for Rare and Genetic Diseases, Project Partner of EPTRI, Third Party Member of C4C and Project Partner of PedCRIN, Soest, The Netherlands
| | - Kim Karsenberg
- VSOP Dutch Patient Association for Rare and Genetic Diseases, Project Partner of EPTRI, Third Party Member of C4C and Project Partner of PedCRIN, Soest, The Netherlands
| | - Johanna H van der Lee
- Knowledge Institute of the Dutch Association of Medical Specialists, Utrecht, The Netherlands.,Emma Children's Hospital, Pediatric Clinical Research Office, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia N de Wildt
- Intensive Care and Department of Pediatric Surgery, Erasmus MC-Sophia Children's Hospital, Rotterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
McCune S, Portman RJ. Innovation and Opportunities in Pediatric Therapeutic Development. Ther Innov Regul Sci 2019; 53:564-566. [PMID: 31438727 PMCID: PMC6746323 DOI: 10.1177/2168479019869754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Susan McCune
- Office of Pediatric Therapeutics, Office of Clinical Policy and Programs, Office of the Commissioner, U.S. Food and Drug Administration
| | - Ronald J Portman
- Pediatric Development, Science and Innovation, Pediatric Center of Excellence, Clinical Development & Analytics, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
| |
Collapse
|