The Selection and Use of Essential Medicines - WHO Technical Report Series, No. 914: 4. Other outstanding technical issues: 4.1 Change of name of the Expert Committee

The Selection and Use of Essential Medicines - WHO Technical Report Series, No. 914
(2003; 132 pages)

Table of Contents

WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines
1. Introduction
2. Open session
3. The new procedures for updating and disseminating the Model List
	3.1 Background
	3.2 Key features of the new procedures
	3.3 Review of the new procedures
		3.3.1 Applications for additions
		3.3.2 Applications for deletions
		3.3.3 Selection criteria
	3.4 The WHO model formulary
	3.5 The WHO Essential Medicines Library
4. Other outstanding technical issues
	4.1 Change of name of the Expert Committee
	4.2 Description of essential medicines
	4.3 Role of treatment costs in relation to the Model List
	4.4 Inclusion of additional items in the Model List
5. Format and presentation of the 12th Model List
	5.1 Section headings
	5.2 The core and complementary lists
	5.3 The “square box” symbol
6. Changes made in revising the Model List
	6.1 Applications for additions
		6.1.1 Antiretroviral medicines
		6.1.2 Artemether + lumefantrine (fixed-dose combination)
		6.1.3 α/β-Arteether
		6.1.4 Artemotil (β-arteether)
		6.1.5 Amodiaquine
		6.1.6 Insecticide-treated bednets
		6.1.7 Miconazole nitrate buccal tablets
	6.2 Applications for deletions
	6.3 Other changes
		6.3.1 Meglumine antimoniate
		6.3.2 Antineoplastic and immunosuppressive medicines
		6.3.3 Reserve list medicines
7. Future reviews of sections of the Model List
	7.1 Update on the review of medicines for the treatment of hypertension
	7.2 Review of the core and complementary lists
	7.3 Review of the use of the “square box” symbol
	7.4 Review of injectable medicines
	7.5 Priorities for further systematic reviews
8. Recommendations
	8.1 Procedures for updating and disseminating the Model List of Essential Medicines¹
	8.2 Description of essential medicines
	8.3 Presentation of the 12th Model List
	8.4 Additions and changes to the Model List
	8.5 Deferred applications
	8.6 Rejected applications
	8.7 Priorities for future reviews of sections of the Model List
	8.8 Change of name of the Expert Committee
	8.9 Other recommendations
Acknowledgements
References
Annex 1 The 12th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines
Annex 2 Additional notes on the medicines recommended for inclusion in the 12th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines
Annex 3 The Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) classification system¹
Alphabetical list of essential medicinces (with ATC classification codes)

4.1 Change of name of the Expert Committee

The first Expert Committee, convened in 1977 was called the “WHO Expert Committee on the Selection of Essential Drugs” and its meeting report, The selection of essential drugs. Report of a WHO Expert Committee (11). These names were retained by the Committee at its second meeting in 1979 (12). In 1982, at its third meeting, the Committee changed its name and thereafter was referred to as the “WHO Expert Committee on the Use of Essential Drugs” and its meeting report was called, The use of essential drugs. Report of a WHO Expert Committee (13).

When developing the new procedures for updating and disseminating the Model List during 2001 (see section 3.1), WHO started to use the term “essential medicines” as an alternative to “essential drugs”. The reasons for the change are as follows:

• The term “medicines” is more commonly used to describe pharmaceutical preparations used in clinical health care practice.

• For non-native English speakers, the word “drugs” is frequently associated with narcotic or illicit substances (i.e. hard drugs). Consequently, it is not always clear what is meant by a “national drug policy”.

• In other languages, for example in French and Spanish, this ambiguity does not exist: “médicaments essentials” and “medicamentos esenciales” are already widely accepted official terms.

• 2002 is not only the 25-year anniversary of the Model List but also sees the launch of the WHO Essential Medicines Library; both of these milestones create a timely opportunity to introduce new names.

At its present meeting, the Committee recognized that the main focus of its activities is to advise on the selection of essential medicines. However, selection cannot be separated from use, as evidenced by the development of stronger links with standard clinical guidelines and the creation of the WHO Essential Medicines Library. The Committee also considered that it would be useful for WHO to maintain an expert forum to review recent developments in rational drug use.

In light of the above considerations, the Committee recommended to change its name from the “WHO Expert Committee on the Use of Essential Drugs” to the “WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines”.