“Concerns about the neurological risks of anesthesia in young children have reached a tipping point, as numerous animal studies have associated common anesthetics with impaired brain development,” reports Science. According to Science, the US Food and Drug Administration’s science advisory board recently met to discuss rising concerns and possible approaches, such as “a clinical trial of anesthetics in children, a consensus statement about their possible risks, and maybe even an FDA warning label on certain drugs.”
“But many involved in the issue are reluctant to make recommendations to parents and physicians based on animal data alone, and more direct studies of anesthesia’s risks in children are plagued by confounding factors, lack of funding, and ethical issues,” reports Science.
Researchers struggle to gauge risks of childhood anesthesia (Science, December 2014) Alternative link to digital edition here.
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