Pediatric pharmacology: the path clears for a noble mission.

Unlabeled use of drugs in children occurs frequently and contributes to the therapeutic orphan dilemma. This situation can no longer be condoned; few acceptable reasons still exist for not evaluating potentially effective drug therapy in children. An apparent lack of research funds is not one of these reasons; only allocation of these funds to pediatric pharmacology is found wanting. Availability of clinical pharmacology programs, pediatric pharmacology manpower, sensitive analytical techniques, and acceptable ethical approaches to pediatric research reveal that drug evaluation is feasible in children. Studies readily include the required therapeutic indication for drug use in pediatrics. Efforts of academia, government and industry are now converging to show that the path for the noble mission of pediatric pharmacology--rational use of FDA approved drugs for children--is now clear for action.