RACE for Children Act would require pediatric cancer studies

Legislation introduced in the U.S. House and Senate seeks to promote research on pediatric cancer therapies by modifying the Pediatric Research Equity Act (PREA). The newly introduced Research to Accelerate Cures and Equity for Children Act would require sponsors of targeted adult cancer therapies to conduct studies in pediatric cancers that share the adult cancers' genetic or molecular characteristics.

For diseases that occur in both adults and children, PREA requires drug companies to study their products in children, but waivers to this requirement can be granted for most new cancer drugs. Cancers are still defined by their tissue of origin rather than by molecular or genetic signatures, and the vast majority of adult cancers -- such as prostate and breast cancers -- do not occur in children (see BioCentury, Sept. 29, 2014)...