KIDS Bari and Albania, the first Young Advisory Groups in Italy and Albania, promoted by CVBF in collaboration with the TEDDY Network, keep on with their advocacy and patient engagement activities, this time participating to the survey on the “Factors Impacting Paediatric Clinical Studies Preparedness” developed by the Enpr-EMA (European Network of Paediatric Research at the European Medicines Agency) Working Group on Clinical Trial Preparedness.

The Working Group is aimed to facilitate the conduct of paediatric clinical studies focusing on identification and resolution of barriers to drug development in children. It includes different stakeholders involved in the paediatric drug development, i.e. representatives of the PDCO (Paediatric Committee at EMA), paediatric networks, patients’ associations, young persons’ advisory groups and pharmaceutical companies. The ultimate goal of this group is to propose a guidance document on paediatric clinical studies preparedness, identifying contributing factors which could increase the ability to complete high quality clinical studies in a timely manner.

During the monthly meetings held in November, the youths of both KIDS Bari and Albania provided their support answering to the questionnaire aimed to investigate the factors which could increase the ability to complete high quality clinical studies in a timely manner as well as the possible issues resulting in the different areas of paediatric drug development, such as planning, implementation, conduct and follow up of trials in children. They provided a fresh and insight perspective on the topics addressed, on which they got familiar with during their annual training plan.