Bristol-Myers Squibb, Novartis and Pfizer are among the major drug makers testing new drugs or going back and testing approved ones on youngsters or senior citizens. The move comes at a time when America's aging population is contributing to an increase in Type 2, or adult onset, diabetes.
Doctors say they are also seeing a startling number of children with the disease.
That's why this is important. These two groups of patients represent a huge market for drug companies. If the Food and Drug Administration approves their diabetes pills for youngsters and elderly people, the pharmaceutical companies can market the drugs to these groups. Another force behind the research trend is prodding from the National Institutes of Health and the FDA to include senior citizens, children and minorities in all drug trials. The FDA in December mandated that children be included in all drug research, and for a couple years it has been offering drug companies an extra six months of patent exclusivity if they do so.