New Study Claims Drugs Don't Have Proper Pediatric Doses

A new study shows many kids are prescribed drugs that don't have proper dosages.

But one Oklahoma doctor said that is nothing new.

The Journal of the American Medical Association found about half of drugs commonly prescribed to kids don't have proper pediatric dosages on the label.

Dr. Dianne Murphy, one of the authors of the study, said "children are routinely being given products that are not studied in them"

Dr. Scott Cyrus, a pediatrician in Tulsa, said this study is accurate. Doctors have to rely on things like reference books, other doctors and medical associations and personal experience to determine how much of a medication a child should have, he said.

Experts say it's difficult to test drugs on kids because of ethical issues.

And Cyrus adds the consent forms alone for these studies can turn a lot of parents away. He compared them to surgery consent forms.

"If you ever read a consent for surgery, sometimes it's death or it's dismemberment or there's a problem. And, frankly, as a parent, I'd be very hesitant to say, ‘Oh, yeah. Sure, use my child,'" Cyrus said.

Cyrus stressed there is no reason for parents to be concerned.

He said common prescriptions, like Amoxicillin, have been used safely on kids for years.