All of the 55 essential medicines that are listed in the New Emergency Health Kit (6) are included in the list of 88 medicines recommended for emergency relief by the United Nations (7), all of which, in turn, are on the Model List. Following consultation with the partners involved in its development, it was decided that the New Emergency Health Kit is in need of updating, especially with regard to the antimalarial medicines, emergency contraception and injection materials. A review meeting will be convened by WHO in Spring 2004 to address these issues.