News | Paediatrics and neonatal

News

Families affected by sodium valproate should receive compensation, say MPs

In a report reviewing the government's response to those harmed by medicines and medical devices, the House of Commons health and social care committee said that families "need support, and have waited too long".…

Published: 20 January 2023

News

‘Urgent’ action required to reduce level of harm from valproate, says patient safety tsar

Exclusive: NHS England is still around halfway off its target to reduce the number of female patients on sodium valproate.…

Published: 17 January 2023

Feature

Insomnia: the great melatonin delusion

Increasingly prescribed in young people with sleep problems, experts are worried that melatonin, a supposedly ‘natural’ treatment for insomnia, is providing nothing more than false hope.…

Published: 24 November 2022

News

Number of children prescribed melatonin up 170% in seven years

Exclusive: There has been a 'shocking' rise in the number of children prescribed synthetic melatonin for sleep, new data show.…

Published: 24 November 2022

News

No difference between length of antibiotic course for treatment of pneumonia in children, meta-analysis finds 

Researchers concluded that shorter courses of antibiotics were not inferior to longer courses in the treatment of non-severe community-acquired pneumonia in children.…

Published: 15 November 2022

News

MHRA approves first vaccine in ten years to protect children against pneumococcal diseases

The drugs regulator has approved an extension for Vaxneuvance (PCV15) to cover children as well as adults.…

Published: 10 November 2022

News

NICE recommends CBT on tablets and mobile phones for young people with anxiety

Five technologies have been put forward as potential first-line treatment options for mild to moderate anxiety in young people.…

Published: 4 November 2022

News

More than 400 pregnant women prescribed topiramate in the past year 

NHS data have revealed 430 women were prescribed topiramate and 42 women were prescribed sodium valproate during their pregnancies between April 2021 and March 2022.…

Published: 7 October 2022

News

Migraine and epilepsy drugs promoted to under-18s as weight-loss aids on TikTok

Exclusive: Social media platform removes posts after investigation by The Pharmaceutical Journal reveals that prescription-only drugs are being recommended to teenagers wanting to lose weight.…

Published: 22 September 2022

News

Biologic shown to reduce eczema symptoms in young children by three quarters

More than half of the children in the study had at least a 75% reduction in signs of eczema, as well as reductions in itch and improved sleeping patterns.…

Published: 16 September 2022