Pune: The World Health Organisation (WHO) has published ‘Essential Medicines List and List of Essential Diagnostics’ that will help countries prioritise critical health products, which should be widely available and affordable throughout health systems. The two lists focus on cancer and other global health challenges, with an emphasis on effective solutions, smart prioritisation and optimal access for patients.
In an official statement, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that around the world, more than 150 countries use WHO’s Essential Medicines List to guide decisions about which medicines represent the best value for money, based on evidence and health impact.
“The inclusion in this list of some of the newest and most advanced cancer drugs is a strong statement that everyone deserves access to these life-saving medicines, not just those who can afford them,” said Ghebreyesus.
The Essential Medicines List (2019)
While several new cancer treatments have been marketed in recent years, only a few deliver sufficient therapeutic benefits to be considered essential. The 12 medicines WHO added to the new Medicines List for five cancer therapies are regarded as the best in terms of survival rates to treat melanoma, lung, prostate, multiple myeloma and leukaemias cancers.
The committee recommended that three new antibiotics for the treatment of multi-drug resistant infections be added as essential.
As 70 per cent of cancer deaths occur in low-and-middle-income countries largely because most patients are diagnosed too late, WHO added 12 tests to the diagnostics list to detect a wide range of solid tumours such as colorectal, liver, cervical, prostate, breast and germ cell cancers, as well as leukaemia and lymphomas.
The list focuses on additional infectious diseases prevalent in low-and-middle-income countries such as cholera and neglected diseases like leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, dengue and zika.
The list was also expanded to include additional general tests which address a range of different diseases and conditions, such as iron tests (for anaemia), and tests to diagnose thyroid malfunction and sickle cell (an inherited form of anaemia very widely present in Sub-Saharan Africa).
Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant Director-General for Medicines and Health Products, said that the List of Essential Diagnostics was introduced in 2018 to guide the supply of tests and improve treatment outcomes.
“As countries move towards universal health coverage and medicines become more available, it will be crucial to have the right diagnostic tools to ensure appropriate treatment,” said Simão.
The first List of Essential Diagnostics was published in 2018, concentrating on a limited number of priority diseases like HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. This year’s list has expanded to include more noncommunicable and communicable diseases.
