Recently, 10 departments jointly issued the "Opinions on Promoting the High Quality Development of Children's Medical and Health Services" (hereinafter referred to as the "Opinions"), which clearly proposes to fill the gaps in children's medication. In recent years, the development of the pharmaceutical research and development field has been rapid. Relatively speaking, the research and development of pediatric drugs is in a state of weakness. The clinical practice of pediatrics in China has long faced the "four shortages" of drugs with few varieties, dosage forms, specifications, and special drugs. How to solve the problem of medication for children? The reporter interviewed relevant experts and industry practitioners. There is a large gap in the children's medication market, and there is a phenomenon of "Zha Tui" development. The seventh national population census report shows that the population of children aged 0-14 in China exceeds 250 million, accounting for approximately 17.95% of the total population. Although the proportion of the population is not small, children's medication faces many challenges compared to adult medication. Deng Yong, a professor of medical and health law at Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, told reporters that children's medication is mainly concentrated in the OTC retail market, such as antibiotics, cold and fever drugs, gastrointestinal drugs, and nutrition drugs. Children's medication for tumor diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological diseases is less common. "There are currently over 3500 types of formulations in the domestic pharmaceutical market, and 90% of drugs do not have dosage forms suitable for children. Among them, there are only more than 70 types that are specifically designed for children's use, and there are limited options for drugs such as rare diseases in children and critical neonatal conditions." Deng Yong said that out of more than 6000 pharmaceutical factories in China, there are only more than 10 enterprises specializing in the production of children's medication. The gap in the children's medication market is huge, and "supply shortage" has become a market pain point. "In some areas of indications, such as expectorant and anti allergic treatments, there is a phenomenon of 'cluster' development. Children's medication still needs to be enriched in dosage forms and specifications, and the problems of poor taste and difficulty in ingestion also affect the compliance of children's medication." Deng Yong said. Further strengthening policy coordination and encouraging the development of children's medication is directly related to the future development and hope of the country. The shortage of specialized drugs for children fundamentally needs to be solved through drug research and production. In recent years, China has successively introduced multiple favorable policies, formed the "China Children's Drug Research and Industrialization Alliance", and released the "Fourth Batch of Encouraged Research and Application for Children's Drugs List" to encourage and support the research and production of children's drugs. Focusing on the shortcomings of children's medication, the Opinion proposes to increase support for the research and development of children's medication varieties and key technologies, and fill the gaps in suitable dosage forms and specifications of children's medication. Professor Zheng Wensheng from the Institute of Pharmacy, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, stated that this is a further refinement of the direction of pediatric drug research and development, and also a new requirement for enterprises to accelerate the development of pediatric drugs. "The 'Opinions' require the full use of drugs to accelerate the market registration process, and prioritize the evaluation and approval of children's drugs that meet the physiological characteristics of children. This is undoubtedly an important step in promoting the development of the domestic children's drug market." Zheng Wensheng analyzed. Deng Yong said that the joint release of the Opinion by 10 departments will further strengthen policy synergy, and the problem of medication for children will be further improved in the future. "With the increasing attention of the country to children's health and the increasing awareness of standardized medication in society and families, the demand for pediatric medication in China will continue to be released," Zheng Wensheng said. Improve enterprise research and development