The U.S. Congress and the Food and Drug Administration have long focused on bringing new therapies to patients with rare diseases, including children.

Two years ago this week, Congress made another contribution to this effort by enacting the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDASIA). The law directs our agency to take two actions to further the development of new therapies for children affected by rare diseases: (1) to hold a meeting with stakeholders and discuss ways to encourage and accelerate the development of new therapies for pediatric rare diseases, and (2) issue a report that includes a strategic plan for achieving this goal.

There are unique challenges when developing drugs, biological products and medical devices for the pediatric population. Not only is there the potential for children to respond differently to products as they grow but there are also additional ethical concerns for this patient population.

For more details, go to: http://blogs.fda.gov/fdavoice/index.php/2014/07/a-blueprint-for-helping-children-with-rare-diseases/?source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery