The World Health Organization (WHO) has updated its lists of essential medicines and diagnostics in a bid to expand access to affordable treatments for individuals worldwide. WHO Director asserted in a statement 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.” Essential medicines, as defined by the WHO, are “those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population.” The updated list adds 28 medicines for adults and 23 for children, expanding the number of medicines included in the list to 450.
“While this figure may seem high, it corresponds to a fraction of the number of medicines available on the market,” the WHO said in a press release. “By focusing on the choices, WHO is emphasizing patient benefits and wise spending with…
