Study: 70% of prescription drugs not approved for kids

When your child is ill, your impulse as a father is to seek out a medication or therapy that can make them feel better.

However, researchers at the University of Michigan are offering a bit of parenting advice – be aware that only 70 percent of prescription drugs have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration to be used by children.

This is because drug companies do not have much of a financial incentive to involve children in their tests, while at the same time many parents would not think of letting their child participate in a drug trial, the Detroit Free Press reports.

Meanwhile, a poll conducted in May by CS Mott Children’s Hospital reveals that 83 percent of parents believe their child’s last prescription had been given FDA approval.

But were they just making an assumption? The question poses a challenge to any father’s parenting skills.

Dr Matthew Davis, an associate professor of pediatrics at University of Michigan, suggested that "the best policy is for doctors to hold an open discussion with parents" before prescribing medications.

With so many questions still open, parents may also want to make sure they start that discussion themselves.