The emotional and behavioral disorder drug market is changing as a result of the heightened awareness of these diseases in young children and adolescents and the use of drugs dedicated to controlling these problems. The key objective now is safe use and correct diagnosis. The drugs previously used had many side effects, the principal one being suicidal tendencies. Now the market is moving towards drugs that are safer to use. However, much remains to be done.

Many companies are doing research on drugs with fewer side effects and by the end of the decade, it is expected that more of them will be on the market. Efforts are underway to perform clinical trials to prove the safety of these drugs for children. These currently still are considered as ?off label? uses.

Available alternatives and preferences for various drugs have made the industry acutely aware of related issues and economic characteristics. This timely BCC study looks at almost all the drug markets affected by these factors. It discusses the strengths and weaknesses of drugs being used for children, and whose safety still has not been established by regulatory authorities. Also examined are the demographics of drug use as divided by preschoolers and other age groups. In addition, the report looks at worldwide sales by region.

SCOPE OF STUDY

The report contains:

• An overview of the behavioral and emotional disorders in children and adolescents
• Sales figures for the following categories of drugs: benzodiazepines, mood stabilizers, antipsychotics, SSRIs, tricyclic antidepressants, CNS stimulants and nonstimulants
• Market projections on their worldwide use to 2010
• Drug categorizations by disorder with sales figures for each
• Profiles of the companies selling these products
• Discussion of factors affecting markets as a result of regulatory issues.

METHODOLOGY

A comprehensive literature and patent search was conducted. Literature included technical newsletters and journals, as well as many other sources. Data was collected through interviews with, and mail from various analytical, chemical and pharmaceutical companies. This data was compiled, and projections were based on such estimates as the current number of end users, potential end users, likely unit prices, rates of consumption and market trends.

INFORMATION SOURCES

BCC surveyed a large number of companies to obtain data for this study. Included were manufacturers and end users of orthopedic products. Information was obtained from these industries, and officials and physicians were interviewed. Newsletters, company literature, product literature, a host of technical articles, journals, indexes, and abstracts were consulted. Exhaustive investigations of databases by key terminology were done. In addition, data was compiled from current financial and trade information, and government sources.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Shalini Shahani holds a Masters degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry. Among the research topics she has covered are: Studies on Compounds of Potential and Pharmaceutical Interest from Ibuprofen and 2-Naphthyl Acetic acid. Shahani was awarded a Gold medal by the Prime Minister of India for her work and has worked with top companies in India and in the U.S. Some of her other reports with BCC are "Reagents of Chromatography," "Spectroscopy, an Enduring Market" and "Advanced Drug Delivery Systems."