At the end of the year, Gothia Forum together with Queen Silvia Children's Hospital open up a new clinical trial unit for children and youth. This will eventually lead to more clinical research and new and improved treatments for children and adolescents.
 

By the end of 2015 the Clinical Research Children's (Pediatric Clinical Research Center, PCRC) will start operations at the Queen Silvia Children's Hospital, part of the Sahlgrenska University Hospital.

PCRC is one of the few centers in Sweden with focus on pediatric research and thus an important resource for the development of new treatments for children and adolescents, says Kaj Stenlöf, Director of Gothia Forum for Clinical Research.

- Traditionally, clinical trials of drugs for children has been rare since they felt the desire to protect children and adolescents from the research. We believe instead that we protect children and young people by allowing them to be part of the development and thus get better, more personalized treatment.

Reduces the risk of serious side effects in children

The new center is welcomed by Jovanna Dahlgren. She is a physician at the Queen Silvia Children's Hospital and professor and academic director of child research at the University of Gothenburg, and one of the initiators of the new research center.

- Through pediatric clinical trials, unexpected side effects of drugs can be detected at an early stage and spare many children from suffering. It is not unusual that we have to treat children and adolescents with drugs that are not formally tried on that group. 

Facts about PCRC

PCRC is supposed to create  a structure and coordination that will improve the quality of clinical research conducted on treatments for children and adolescents in Sweden. It is not yet decided what kind of studies that will be  conducted at the research center, but treatments for diabetes, respiratory diseases and obesity are under discussion.

The center will provide expertise and resources to carry out experimental studies, clinical trials in phase I-IV, population studies, and follow-up examinations. It will also be possible for clinical research projects and clinical trials to get help with staffing. At the center, there will be monitoring facilities and resources to carry out follow-up surveys. Researchers can also get support in issues concerning legal, quality assurance, project management and training.