UK pediatric patient Rx compliance study

A 21-month study into the problem of pediatric treatment non-compliance in life-threatening diseases has been announced by two UK universities, at Leicester and Nottingham. The research is funded by the National Institute for Health Research's service delivery and organization program.

The study is lead by Rachel Elliot, professor of medicines and health at the University of Nottingham's School of Pharmacy. She said that one "big issue" for children is that having to take medicine every day is a reminder "that they have an incredibly serious illness." Denial or refusing to comply with treatment protocols can be seen as an attempt to "have some control over their life." This suggests that straightforward education approaches may not work. The NIHR has allocated L328,247 ($487,283) for this project.