ArticleERJ open research2023
Tuberculosis medicines for children in Europe: an unmet medical need.
Article in ERJ open research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed, 5 citations in OpenAlex.
- Tuberculosis in children under 5 years of age in a low-burden setting: sociodemographic and epidemiological characteristics and healthcare utilization over a 10-year period (2010-2021).European journal of pediatrics · 2026Observational
- Global child-friendly anti-TB medicines - where do we stand?IJTLD open · 2025Article
- Estimation of tuberculosis mortality burden in Spain: a review of the major data sources.ERJ open research · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
5 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The availability of first-line medicines for the treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis (TB) is inconsistent across European countries. This is particularly worrisome for child-friendly medicines. There are reported examples of physicians being forced to adapt and/or combine formulations intended for adults to treat children with TB. Reduced compliance, unknown effects on treatment outcomes and unpredictable toxicity are potential consequences of resorting to these suboptimal treatment options. Furthermore, the use of these alternatives may increase the risk of drug-resistant TB. This study analysed the availability and use of TB medicines in the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area, with a particular focus on child-friendly formulations. We sought to carry out a full review of the situation by means of a survey involving the EU regulatory network. Countries were asked to confirm marketing status of anti-drug-susceptible-TB medicines, ways used to overcome their absence in their territory and the general difficulties they face to treat children with TB. Results confirmed that rifampicin suspension is the only child-friendly formulation available in Europe, approved in just 10 member states. Overall, 24 countries out of 30 considered the lack of adequate drug-susceptible TB medicines an unmet medical need. To overcome this, countries confirmed that they resort to importation or use adapted formulations. The joint forces of European institutions and pharmaceutical industry are crucial for the development of paediatric formulations and contribute to better compliance and health outcomes.
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.