The Committee reviewed an application for the inclusion of insecticide-treated bednets. The Committee, recognizing the public health burden of malaria, acknowledged the need for prevention strategies and the potential role that insecticide-treated bednets could play in this regard. The Committee noted that many different insecticides were currently being used to treat bednets, that different strategies for their retreatment existed, and that new long-acting products were being developed. The Committee also noted that treated bednets are not usually regulated by national regulatory agencies and, as such, would not normally qualify for inclusion in the Model List (see also section 4.4).
In light of these considerations, the Committee decided to defer its decision regarding the application pending the receipt of evidence on the use and effectiveness of long-acting insecticide-treated bednets. As the issue was raised in the application, the Committee noted that tariffs and taxes can create a considerable burden for equitable access to essential medicines, medical devices and health technologies and recommended that this matter be addressed by WHO.