What are essential drugs in public health?
Essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population. They can save lives, reduce suffering and improve health. They are selected based on disease prevalence and public health relevance, evidence of clinical efficacy and safety, and comparative costs and cost-effectiveness.
What do you mean by essential drug list?
Essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of a population. They are selected with due regard to disease prevalence and public health relevance, evidence of efficacy and safety and comparative cost-effectiveness.
How many essential medicines are there?
The current versions, updated in September 2021, are the 22nd Essential Medicines List (EML) and the 8th Essential Medicines List for Children (EMLc).
What is the importance of essential drug list?
By narrowing the market, essential medicines lists guide countries in the procurement and supply of medicines in the public sector. Essential medicines lists also provide a framework for donors, local pharmaceutical manufacturers and insurance systems that reimburse medicine costs.
Why are essential drugs important?
Essential medicines have public health relevance as they satisfy the priority healthcare needs of the population and have evidence on efficacy, safety, and comparative cost-effectiveness.
What is the purpose of the EML?
The WHO essential medicines list (EML) is a register of minimum medicine needs for every health-care system (Bloom, 2011). The basic concept is that high priority drugs should be available as part of a functioning health system at all times for all people, guiding physicians to evidence-based and rational prescribing.
What are the criteria for selection of essential drugs?
Criteria of Selection of Essential Medicine Essential medicines are selected based on disease prevalence, evidence on efficacy and safety, and comparative cost-effectiveness.