Newborns are usually not included in clinical trials for the development of antimicrobial drugs, which means there is very little information on how these drugs should be dosed for them. This gap in research can leave healthcare providers with limited guidance on how to safely and effectively administer these medications to newborns. There is an increased risk of either underdosing, which may lead to ineffective treatment, or overdosing, which can cause harmful side effects.
This issue is particularly concerning when it comes to managing neonatal sepsis, a severe infection that poses a high risk for newborns. The lack of data is compounded by the growing problem of antimicrobial resistance, making it even more critical to establish effective dosing guidelines.
In this video, experts from the SNIP-AFRICA Consortium Angela Dramowski from Tygerberg Hospital and Stellenbosch University, and Adrie Bekker from Stellenbosch University, emphasise the importance of conducting pharmacokinetic studies in newborns.
These studies are essential for understanding how antimicrobials are absorbed, distributed, metabolised, and excreted in newborns, which differs significantly from older children and adults. By conducting these pharmacokinetic studies, SNIP-AFRICA aspires to inform updated antibiotic dosing guidelines, improving outcomes for newborns facing life-threatening infections.
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