Milan, 25 November (askanews) – The family pediatrician represents the first choice of parents in treating their children, children and adolescents and his figure is considered fundamental by parents and following him guarantees the appropriateness of prescriptions and therapeutics, avoiding the inappropriate use of medications that do not lead to a quick recovery, but lead to economic waste. This is the theme of the conference “From communication to compliance in pediatrics. Focus on pain and fever”, organized by Motore Sanità, in the Senate, thanks to the unconditional contribution of Angelini Pharma.
A recent real-world study conducted in Italy highlighted that the costs of treating inappropriateness and its clinical complications for approximately 160 thousand pediatric patients (0-17 years) discharged with diagnoses related to the use of fever and pain medication amounted to 2 million euros. If we also consider respiratory diseases, which are becoming more common, the costs to the NHS due to inappropriate non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increase by 1.7 million euros. Choosing the right treatment not only protects the most vulnerable patients, but also helps reduce the costs associated with inappropriate use of medications such as NSAIDs. According to the organizers of the event, allocating financial resources to innovative therapies is key to building a more sustainable healthcare system, able to meet future challenges and guaranteeing a better allocation of available budgets.
The experts present gave particular relevance to the impact of misinformation and self-medication in the management of fever and pain. These data highlight that parents perceive high fever as dangerous and always want to treat it pharmacologically; However, only 50% are worried about the side effects of the drugs they use. However, child caregivers must know when and how to treat fever and pain, remembering that it is important to always monitor the child’s general condition.
