Clinical Research Ward was officially opened today in Children’s Hospital Srebnjak, the first separate ward of this kind in the Republic of Croatia. The Ward is in accordance with EU standards and represents the realisation of the regulation on paediatric clinical research in Croatia.
The following participants were present at the media conference organised for the occasion:
• Professor Rajko Ostojić, MD, PhD, Minister of Health
• Lidija Hrastić - Novak, MD, Assistant Head of Health, City Office for Health and War Veterans
• Božo Prka, President of Board, Privredna banka Zagreb
• Mr.Sc. Boro Nogalo,MD, Prinicpal of the Children’s Hospital Srebrnjak
The project of building this unique Ward, the surface of about three hundred square metres, started in 2009. The City of Zagreb financed the construction work and the donation of Privredna banka Zagreb in the amount of 2,5 million kuna provided full equipment for the Ward. Within its social responsibility programme, Privredna banka Zagreb supports numerous humanitarian and health projects and institutions. This year, special attention is given to projects of health improvement and children’s health care.
It is very important to say that the Clinical Research Ward in Children’s Hospital Srebrnjak is the first of this kind in the Republic of Croatia and fully in accordance with EU standards. In the last two years, the European Union made adjustments to the regulation on improving the situation in paediatric pharmacology. In relation to that, it has been generally accepted that it is unethical to give medication to children that had not previously been tested on population of the recipient child’s age. With regards to that, the first sentence in European Union Directive on clinical research of children’s medications is: „Children should not receive medications that have not been tested adequately in their age group. “ Mr.Sc.Boro Nogalo, MD, Principal of the Children’s Hospital Srebrnjak explained that medications used so far were tested on adults only, and the recommended dosage for children was calculated.
Therefore, this Ward shall revolutionize the development of children’s medications using the extensive research and testing, in accordance with strict norms, to confirm the effectiveness and safety of medications for children.