Investing in children’s health: The urgent need for paediatric innovation in Europe

EIT Health is proud to announce the release of the i4KIDS-EUROPE White Paper, Challenges and Opportunities for Effective Paediatric Innovation in Europe, a comprehensive analysis aimed at transforming paediatric healthcare across the continent. 

This initiative, coordinated by Hospital Sant Joan de Déu in Barcelona and EIT Health Spain, brings together eight multidisciplinary European institutions dedicated to establishing an efficient and inclusive paediatric innovation ecosystem. 

The White Paper highlights significant disparities in paediatric healthcare innovation, noting that children constitute 25% of the global population, yet only 1.6% of venture capital investment in health is allocated to paediatric-related projects. Additionally, nearly half of paediatric medicines are used off-label, and most medical devices are not designed or validated for use in children under 18. These gaps underscore the urgent need for targeted solutions in paediatric and maternal health. 

To address these challenges, the i4KIDS-EUROPE consortium conducted extensive research, including questionnaires, interviews, and working sessions with leading healthcare professionals, research institutions, businesses, patient associations, and policymakers from 16 European countries. The resulting White Paper proposes actionable recommendations across several key areas: 

• Funding: Advocating for increased public and private investment, the report suggests earmarking specific resources for paediatric projects in European programmes and introducing tax incentives to encourage business participation. 

• Regulatory environment: Recommendations include making legal frameworks more flexible to facilitate supervised research in paediatric developments, updating existing regulations to prioritise treatments for children’s diseases, and developing harmonised guidelines for medical devices and digital therapies tailored to paediatric needs. 

• Commercialisation and adoption: The report proposes measures to reduce market entry barriers, especially for start-ups and small companies, by facilitating access to hospitals and health systems and creating reimbursement schemes adapted to paediatric technologies. 

• Human resources and infrastructure: Emphasising the need for dedicated innovation teams in hospitals, the document advocates for European programmes based on multidisciplinary co-creation methodologies and specialised training to equip stakeholders with the necessary skills to address paediatric innovation challenges. 

Izabel Alfany, Managing Director of EIT Health Spain, stated, “The i4KIDS-EUROPE project represents a unique opportunity to transform the paediatric innovation landscape in Europe by addressing one of the most neglected areas in healthcare. There is an urgent need for specific solutions for children’s health, and this project offers visibility to the most disruptive innovations in this area.” 

Arnau Valls, Director of i4KIDS and Coordinator of i4KIDS-EUROPE, added, “Investing in children’s health is not only an ethical necessity but also a key strategy to guarantee the future of our society. This report represents a crucial step towards making existing gaps visible and ensuring that all children in Europe have access to the healthcare they deserve.” 

The i4KIDS-EUROPE White Paper serves as a call to action for policymakers, healthcare providers, researchers, and industry leaders to collaborate in creating a cohesive ecosystem that fosters the development and adoption of effective solutions for paediatric and maternal health across Europe. 

Download the white paper now.

To know more, visit i4KIDS.