Girish Mahajan (Editor)

WHO Model List of Essential Medicines

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The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML), proposed by the World Health Organization (WHO), contains the most effective and safe medicines needed to meet the most important needs in a health system. The list is frequently used by countries to help develop their own local lists of essential medicine. As of 2016, more than 155 countries have created national lists of essential medicines based on the World Health Organizations model list. This includes countries in both the developed and developing world.

Contents

The list is divided into core items and complementary items. The core items are deemed to be the most cost effective options for key health problems and are usable with little additional health care resources. The complementary items frequently require additional infrastructure such as specially trained health care providers or diagnostic equipment. About 25% of items are in the complementary list. Some medications are listed as both core and complementary.

The first list was published in 1977 and included 212 medications. The WHO updates the list every two years. The 14th list was published in 2005 and contained 306 medications. In 2015 the 19th edition of the list was published and contains around 410 medications. The 20th edition is expected to be published in 2017. The national lists contain between 334 and 580 medications.

A separate list for children up to 12 years of age, known as the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc), was created in 2007 and is in its 5th edition. It was created to make sure that the needs of children were systematically considered such as availability of proper formulations. Everything in the children's list is also included in the main list. The following list is based on the 19th edition of the adult list.

Inhalational medicines

  • Halothane
  • Isoflurane
  • Nitrous oxide
  • Oxygen

    • Injectable medicines

  • Ketamine
  • Propofol

    • Local anaesthetics

  • Bupivacaine
  • Lidocaine
  • Lidocaine/epinephrine
  • Ephedrineα (not a local anaesthetic, included in this list for prevention of low blood pressure associated with spinal anaesthesia during caesarean section)

    • Preoperative medication and sedation for short-term procedures

  • Atropine
  • Midazolam
  • Morphine

    • Nonopioids and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs)

  • Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)
  • Ibuprofen
  • Paracetamol (acetaminophen)

    • Opioid analgesics

  • Codeine
  • Morphine

    • Medicines for other common symptoms in palliative care

  • Amitriptyline
  • Cyclizine
  • Dexamethasone
  • Diazepam
  • Docusate sodium
  • Fluoxetine
  • Haloperidol
  • Hyoscine butylbromide
  • Hyoscine hydrobromide
  • Lactulose
  • Loperamide
  • Metoclopramide
  • Midazolam
  • Ondansetron
  • Senna

    • Antiallergics and medicines used in anaphylaxis

  • Dexamethasone
  • Epinephrine (adrenaline)
  • Hydrocortisone
  • Loratadine
  • Prednisolone

    • Nonspecific

  • Charcoal, activated

    • Specific

  • Acetylcysteine
  • Atropine
  • Calcium gluconate
  • Methylthioninium chloride (methylene blue)
  • Naloxone
  • Penicillamine
  • Prussian blue
  • Sodium nitrite
  • Sodium thiosulfate
  • Deferoxamineα
  • Dimercaprolα
  • Fomepizoleα
  • Sodium calcium edetateα
  • Succimerα

    • Anticonvulsive medication

  • Carbamazepine
  • Diazepam
  • Lorazepam
  • Magnesium sulfate
  • Phenobarbital
  • Phenytoin
  • Valproic acid (sodium valproate)
  • Ethosuximideα

    • Intestinal antihelminthics

  • Albendazole
  • Levamisole
  • Mebendazole
  • Niclosamide
  • Praziquantel
  • Pyrantel

    • Antifilarials

  • Albendazole
  • Diethylcarbamazine
  • Ivermectin

    • Antischistosomals and other antinematode medicines

  • Praziquantel
  • Triclabendazole
  • Oxamniquineα

    • Beta Lactam medicines

  • Amoxicillin
  • Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid)
  • Ampicillin
  • Benzathine benzylpenicillin
  • Benzylpenicillin
  • Cefalexin
  • Cefazolin
  • Cefixime
  • Ceftriaxone
  • Cloxacillin
  • Phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V)
  • Procaine benzylpenicillin
  • Cefotaximeα
  • Ceftazidimeα
  • Imipenem/cilastatinα

    • Other antibacterials

  • Azithromycin
  • Chloramphenicol
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Clarithromycin
  • Doxycycline
  • Erythromycin
  • Gentamicin
  • Metronidazole
  • Nitrofurantoin
  • Spectinomycin
  • Trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole
  • Trimethoprim
  • Clindamycinα
  • Vancomycinα

    • Antileprosy medicines

  • Clofazimine
  • Dapsone
  • Rifampicin

    • Antituberculosis medicines

  • Ethambutol
  • Ethambutol/isoniazid (ethambutol + isoniazid)
  • Ethambutol/isoniazid/pyrazinamide/rifampicin (ethambutol + isoniazid + pyrazinamide + rifampicin)
  • Ethambutol/isoniazid/rifampicin (ethambutol + isoniazid + rifampicin)
  • Isoniazid
  • Isoniazid/pyrazinamide/rifampicin (isoniazid + pyrazinamide + rifampicin)
  • Isoniazid/rifampicin (isoniazid + rifampicin)
  • Pyrazinamide
  • Rifabutin
  • Rifampicin
  • Rifapentine
  • Amikacinα
  • Bedaquilineα
  • Capreomycinα
  • Cycloserineα
  • Delamanidα
  • Ethionamideα
  • Kanamycinα
  • Levofloxacinα
  • Linezolidα
  • p-aminosalicylic acidα
  • Streptomycinα

    • Antifungal medicines

  • Amphotericin B
  • Clotrimazole
  • Fluconazole
  • Flucytosine
  • Griseofulvin
  • Nystatin
  • Potassium iodideα

    • Antiherpes medicines

  • Aciclovir

    • Antiretrovirals

    Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors
  • Abacavir (ABC)
  • Lamivudine (3TC)
  • Stavudine (d4T)
  • Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)
  • Zidovudine (ZDV or AZT)
    • Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
  • Efavirenz (EGV or EFZ)
  • Nevirapine (NVP)
    • Protease inhibitors
  • Atazanavir
  • Darunavir
  • Lopinavir/ritonavir (LPV/r)
  • Ritonavir
  • Saquinavir (SQV)
    • Fixed-dose combinations
  • Abacavir/lamivudine (abacavir + lamivudine)
  • Efavirenz/emtricitabine/tenofovir
  • Emtricitabine/tenofovir
  • Lamivudine/nevirapine/stavudine
  • Lamivudine/nevirapine/zidovudine
  • Lamivudine/zidovudine
    • Other antivirals
  • Oseltamivir
  • Ribavirin
  • Valganciclovir

    • Antihepatitis medicines

    Medicines for hepatitis B

    Nucleoside/Nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors

  • Entecavir
  • Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)
    • Medicines for hepatitis C

    Nucleotide polymerase inhibitors

  • Sofosbuvir

    • Protease inhibitors

  • Simeprevir

    • NS5A inhibitors

  • Daclatasvir

    • Non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors

  • Dasabuvir

    • Other antivirals

  • Ribavirin
  • Pegylated interferon-alpha-2a or pegylated interferon-alpha-2bα

    • Fixed-dose combinations

  • Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir
  • Ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir

    • Antiamoebic and antigiardiasis medicines

  • Diloxanide
  • Metronidazole

    • Antileishmaniasis medicines

  • Amphotericin B
  • Miltefosine
  • Paromomycin
  • Sodium stibogluconate or meglumine antimoniate

    • Antimalarial medicines

    For curative treatment
  • Amodiaquine
  • Artemether
  • Artemether/lumefantrine
  • Artesunate
  • Artesunate/amodiaquine
  • Artesunate/mefloquine
  • Chloroquine
  • Doxycycline
  • Mefloquine
  • Primaquine
  • Quinine
  • Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine
    • For prevention
  • Chloroquine
  • Doxycycline
  • Mefloquine
  • Proguanil

    • Antipneumocystosis and antitoxoplasmosis medicines

  • Pyrimethamine
  • Sulfadiazine
  • Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim
  • Pentamidineα

    • Antitrypanosomal medicines

    African trypanosomiasis
    1st stage
  • Pentamidine
  • Suramin sodium
    • 2nd stage
  • Eflornithine
  • Melarsoprol
  • Nifurtimox
    • American trypanosomiasis
  • Benznidazole
  • Nifurtimox

    • Acute attack

  • Acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin)
  • Ibuprofen
  • Paracetamol

    • Prevention

  • Propranolol

    • Immunosuppressive medicines

  • Azathioprineα
  • Ciclosporinα

    • Cytotoxic and adjuvant medicines

  • All-trans retinoic acid (tretinoin)α
  • Allopurinolα
  • Asparaginaseα
  • Bendamustineα
  • Bleomycinα
  • Calcium folinateα
  • Capecitabineα
  • Carboplatinα
  • Chlorambucilα
  • Cisplatinα
  • Cyclophosphamideα
  • Cytarabineα
  • Dacarbazineα
  • Dactinomycinα
  • Daunorubicinα
  • Docetaxelα
  • Doxorubicinα
  • Etoposideα
  • Fludarabineα
  • Fluorouracilα
  • Filgrastimα
  • Gemcitabineα
  • Hydroxycarbamideα
  • Ifosfamideα
  • Imatinibα
  • Irinotecanα
  • Mercaptopurineα
  • Mesnaα
  • Methotrexateα
  • Oxaliplatinα
  • Paclitaxelα
  • Procarbazineα
  • Rituximabα
  • Thioguanineα
  • Trastuzumabα
  • Vinblastineα
  • Vincristineα
  • Vinorelbineα

    • Hormones and antihormones

  • Anastrozoleα
  • Bicalutamideα
  • Dexamethasoneα
  • Hydrocortisoneα
  • Leuprorelinα
  • Methylprednisoloneα
  • Prednisoloneα
  • Tamoxifenα

    • Antiparkinsonism medicines

  • Biperiden
  • Carbidopa/levodopa (levodopa + carbidopa)

    • Antianaemia medicines

  • Ferrous salt
  • Ferrous salt/folic acid
  • Folic acid
  • Hydroxocobalamin

    • Medicines affecting coagulation

  • Enoxaparin
  • Heparin sodium
  • Phytomenadione
  • Protamine sulfate
  • Tranexamic acid
  • Warfarin
  • Desmopressinα

    • Other medicines for haemoglobinopathies

  • Deferoxamineα
  • Hydroxycarbamideα

    • Blood and blood components

  • Fresh frozen plasma
  • Platelet concentrates
  • Packed red blood cells
  • Whole blood

    • Human immunoglobulins

  • Rho(D) immune globulin
  • Anti-rabies immunoglobulin
  • Anti-tetanus immunoglobulin
  • Human normal immunoglobulinα

    • Blood coagulation factors

  • Coagulation factor VIIIα
  • Coagulation factor IXα

    • Plasma substitutes

  • Dextran 70

    • Antianginal medicines

  • Bisoprolol
  • Glyceryl trinitrate
  • Isosorbide dinitrate
  • Verapamil

    • Antiarrhythmic medicines

  • Bisoprolol
  • Digoxin
  • Epinephrine (adrenaline)
  • Lidocaine
  • Verapamil
  • Amiodaroneα

    • Antihypertensive medicines

  • Amlodipine
  • Bisoprolol
  • Enalapril
  • Hydralazine
  • Hydrochlorothiazide
  • Methyldopa
  • Sodium nitroprussideα

    • Medicines used in heart failure

  • Bisoprolol
  • Digoxin
  • Enalapril
  • Furosemide
  • Hydrochlorothiazide
  • Spironolactone
  • Dopamineα

    • Anti-platelet medicines

  • Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin)
  • Clopidogrel

    • Thrombolytic medicines

  • Streptokinaseα

    • Lipid-lowering agents

  • Simvastatin

    • Antifungal medicines

  • Miconazole
  • Selenium sulfide
  • Sodium thiosulfate
  • Terbinafine

    • Anti-infective medicines

  • Mupirocin
  • Potassium permanganate
  • Silver sulfadiazine

    • Anti-inflammatory and antipruritic medicines

  • Betamethasone
  • Calamine
  • Hydrocortisone

    • Medicines affecting skin differentiation and proliferation

  • Benzoyl peroxide
  • Coal tar
  • Fluorouracil
  • Podophyllum resin
  • Salicylic acid
  • Urea

    • Scabicides and pediculicides

  • Benzyl benzoate
  • Permethrin

    • Ophthalmic medicines

  • Fluorescein
  • Tropicamide

    • Radiocontrast media

  • Amidotrizoate
  • Barium sulfate
  • Iohexol
  • Meglumine iotroxateα

    • Antiseptics

  • Chlorhexidine
  • Ethanol
  • Povidone iodine

    • Disinfectants

  • Alcohol based hand rub
  • Chlorine base compound
  • Chloroxylenol
  • Glutaral

    • Diuretics

  • Amiloride
  • Furosemide
  • Hydrochlorothiazide
  • Mannitol
  • Spironolactone

    • Gastrointestinal medicines

  • Pancreatic enzymesα

    • Antiulcer medicines

  • Omeprazole
  • Ranitidine

    • Antiemetic medicines

  • Dexamethasone
  • Metoclopramide
  • Ondansetron

    • Anti-inflammatory medicines

  • Sulfasalazine
  • Hydrocortisoneα

    • Laxatives

  • Senna

    • Oral rehydration

  • Oral rehydration salts

    • Medicines for diarrhea in children

  • Zinc sulfate

    • Adrenal hormones and synthetic substitutes

  • Fludrocortisone
  • Hydrocortisone

    • Androgens

  • Testosteroneα

    • Oral hormonal contraceptives

  • Ethinylestradiol/levonorgestrel
  • Ethinylestradiol/norethisterone
  • Levonorgestrel

    • Injectable hormonal contraceptives

  • Estradiol cypionate/medroxyprogesterone acetate
  • Medroxyprogesterone acetate
  • Norethisterone enantate

    • Intrauterine devices

  • IUD with copper
  • IUD with progestogen

    • Barrier methods

  • Condoms
  • Diaphragms

    • Implantable contraceptives

  • Etonogestrel—releasing implant
  • Levonorgestrel—releasing implant

    • Intravaginal contraceptives

  • Progesterone vaginal ring

    • Insulins and other medicines used for diabetes

  • Gliclazide
  • Glucagon
  • Insulin injection (soluble)
  • Intermediate-acting insulin
  • Metformin

    • Ovulation inducers

  • Clomifeneα

    • Progestogens

  • Medroxyprogesterone acetate

    • Thyroid hormones and antithyroid medicines

  • Levothyroxine
  • Potassium iodide
  • Propylthiouracil
  • Lugol's solutionα

    • Diagnostic agents

  • Tuberculin, purified protein derivative (PPD)

    • Sera and immunoglobulins

  • Antivenom immunoglobulin
  • Diphtheria antitoxin

    • Vaccines

  • BCG vaccine
  • Cholera vaccine
  • Diphtheria vaccine
  • Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine
  • Hepatitis A vaccine
  • Hepatitis B vaccine
  • HPV vaccine
  • Influenza vaccine
  • Japanese encephalitis vaccine
  • Measles vaccine
  • Meningococcal meningitis vaccine
  • Mumps vaccine
  • Pertussis vaccine
  • Pneumococcal vaccine
  • Poliomyelitis vaccine
  • Rabies vaccine
  • Rotavirus vaccine
  • Rubella vaccine
  • Tetanus vaccine
  • Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine
  • Typhoid vaccine
  • Varicella vaccine
  • Yellow fever vaccine

    • Muscle relaxants (peripherally-acting) and cholinesterase inhibitors

  • Atracurium
  • Neostigmine
  • Suxamethonium
  • Vecuronium
  • Pyridostigmineα

    • Anti-infective agents

  • Aciclovir
  • Azithromycin
  • Gentamicin
  • Ofloxacin
  • Tetracycline

    • Anti-inflammatory agents

  • Prednisolone

    • Local anesthetics

  • Tetracaine

    • Miotics and antiglaucoma medicines

  • Acetazolamide
  • Latanoprost
  • Pilocarpine
  • Timolol

    • Mydriatics

  • Atropine
  • Epinephrine (adrenaline)α

    • Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)

  • Bevacizumabα

    • Oxytocics and abortifacients

  • Ergometrine
  • Misoprostol
  • Oxytocin
  • Mifepristone used with misoprostolα

    • Antioxytocics (tocolytics)

  • Nifedipine

    • Peritoneal dialysis solution

  • Intraperitoneal dialysis solution (of appropriate composition)α

    • Medicines used in psychotic disorders

  • Chlorpromazine
  • Fluphenazine
  • Haloperidol
  • Risperidone
  • Clozapineα

    • Medicines used in depressive disorders

  • Amitriptyline
  • Fluoxetine

    • Medicines used in bipolar disorders

  • Carbamazepine
  • Lithium
  • Valproic acid (sodium valproate)

    • Medicines for anxiety disorders

  • Diazepam

    • Medicines used for obsessive compulsive disorders

  • Clomipramine

    • Medicines for disorders due to psychoactive substance use

  • Nicotine replacement therapy
  • Methadoneα

    • Antiasthmatic and medicines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

  • Beclometasone
  • Budesonide
  • Epinephrine (adrenaline)
  • Ipratropium bromide
  • Salbutamol (albuterol)

    • Oral

  • Oral rehydration salts
  • Potassium chloride

    • Parenteral

  • Glucose
  • Glucose with sodium chloride
  • Potassium chloride
  • Sodium chloride
  • Sodium hydrogen carbonate
  • Sodium lactate, compound solution

    • Miscellaneous

  • Water for injection

    • Vitamins and minerals

  • Ascorbic acid
  • Calcium
  • Cholecalciferol
  • Ergocalciferol
  • Iodine
  • Nicotinamide
  • Pyridoxine
  • Retinol
  • Riboflavin
  • Sodium fluoride
  • Thiamine
  • Calcium gluconateα

    • Ear, nose and throat medicines in children

  • Acetic acid
  • Budesonide
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Xylometazoline

    • Medicines administered to the neonate

  • Caffeine citrate
  • Chlorhexidine
  • Ibuprofenα
  • Prostaglandin Eα
  • Prostaglandin E1
  • Prostaglandin E2
  • Surfactantα

    • Medicines administered to the mother

  • Dexamethasone

    • Medicines used to treat gout

  • Allopurinol

    • Disease-modifying agents used in rheumatoid disorders

  • Chloroquine
  • Azathioprineα
  • Hydroxychloroquineα
  • Methotrexateα
  • Penicillamineα
  • Sulfasalazineα

    • Juvenile joint diseases

  • Aspirin

    • References

    WHO Model List of Essential Medicines Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA