When it comes to medical treatment, children are not small adults.
But many times, pediatricians make decisions based on results from clinical research in adults, said Jessica Snowden, M.D., associate professor of pediatric infectious diseases at UNMC and Children’s Hospital & Medical Center.
"Children are very different from adults," Dr. Snowden said. "They have different bacteria and immune systems. Their bodies and brains are still developing and they process medication differently. Many times as pediatricians we are making decisions based on studies done in adults. There’s a lot we don’t know."
The National Institutes of Health has awarded a $157 million grant to 17 health centers to launch a seven-year initiative called Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes. The program will investigate how exposure to a range of environmental factors from conception through early childhood influences the health of children and adolescents.
UNMC will receive $1.6 million over four years to establish a pediatric clinical trials network that will enable children to participate across Nebraska and the United States.
"It will be wonderfully effective and helpful to be able to get information about what works for children," Dr. Snowden said.
The focus will be on making clinical trials accessible to rural and underrepresented children statewide. "We want to make sure they have the opportunity to be part of clinical trials so they can get access to the best care," she said.
Clinical trial enrollments are expected to begin through the Nebraska Pediatric Clinical Trials Unit within the next year.