Cancer drugs approved for use in children: Impact of legislative initiatives and future opportunities

Abstract

It is well appreciated that the number of anticancer drugs approved for use in children is a fraction of the number approved for use in cancers that occur in adults. We address this fact by summarizing the relevant U.S. legislation that provides the framework for the evaluation and approval of drugs used to treat children with cancer. In total, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved 38 new drug applications for pediatric oncology indications, 12 of which were new molecular entities. FDA continues to collaborate with multistakeholders regarding the development of products intended for pediatric cancer and encourages the submission of marketing applications.