What is Essential medicines?
The '''List of Essential Medicines''' is a listing of [[drugs]] compiled by the [[World Health Organization]] (WHO). The medicines on the list cover the basic needs of a society, and they should be affordable and easy to get, according to the WHO. The list was first published in 1977. It is reviewed every two years. In 2023, the WHO published the 23rd version of its List of Essential Medications. == Contents == The 2023 version of the List includes 30 categories of essential medications:<ref>{{Cite web|title=WHO Model List of Essential Medicines - 23rd list, 2023|url=https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/WHO-MHP-HPS-EML-2023.02|access-date=2024-11-14|website=[[World Health Organization]]|language=en}}</ref> # Anesthetics and medical gases like oxygen, [[propofol]], [[lidocaine]], and [[midazolam]] # [[Analgesic|Pain medicines]] like [[aspirin]], [[paracetamol]], [[ibuprofen]], [[morphine]], and [[fentanyl]] # Anti-[[allergy]] medicines like [[Epinephrine#Medical uses|epinephrine]] # [[Antidote|Antidotes]] like [[atropine]] and [[naloxone]] (prescribed in the [[United States]] as [[Narcan]]) # Medicines for [[Neurological disorder|diseases of the nervous system]], including anti-[[seizure]] drugs and anti-Parkinson's drugs like [[levodopa]] # Anti-[[Infection|infective]] medications, including [[antibiotics]], anti-[[Fungus|fungals]], and [[Antiviral drug|antivirals]] # Anti-[[migraine]] medicines like sumatriptan # Anti-[[cancer]] drugs like [[methotrexate]] and [[tamoxifen]] # Ready-to-use therapeutic food # Medicines affecting the [[blood]], including [[Anticoagulant|blood thinners]] like [[warfarin]] # [[Blood transfusion|Blood products]] # [[Cardiovascular disease|Cardiovascular]] medicines to treat [[Arrhythmia|heart rhythm problems]], [[Hypertension|high blood pressure]], [[Hypercholesterolemia|high cholesterol]], and [[heart failure]] # Medicines to treat [[Dermatology|skin problems]], like [[calamine]] and [[hydrocortisone]] # Medicines used for [[diagnosis]] (like certain eyedrops) # [[Antiseptic|An