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List of World Health Organization Essential Medicines
The List of World Health Organization Essential Medicines is a model list of essential medicines
created by the World Health Organization. This list is based on the 15th edition (March 2007).
The list was first published in 1977. The 16th edition for adults and the second edition for children werereleased in March 2009. The list was updated in March 2010.
Contents
y 1 Anesthetic.so 1.1 General anesthetics and oxygeno 1.2 Local anestheticso 1.3 Preoperative medication and sedation for short-term procedures
y 2 Analgesics, antipyretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, medicines used totreat gout and disease modifying agents in rheumatoid disorders
o 2.1 Non-opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIMs)o 2.2 Opioid analgesicso 2.3 Medicines to treat gouto 2.4 Disease modifying agents used in rheumatoid disorders (DMARDs)
y 3 Antiallergics and medicines used in anaphylaxisy 4 Antidotes and other substances used in poisonings
o 4.1 Non-specifico 4.2 Specific
y 5 Anticonvulsants/antiepilepticsy 6 Anti-infective medicines
o 6.1 Anthelminthics 6.1.1 Intestinal anthelminthics 6.1.2 Antifilarials 6.1.3 Antischistosomals and antitrematode medicine
o 6.2 Antibacterials 6.2.1 Beta Lactam medicines 6.2.2 Other antibacterials 6.2.3 Antileprosy medicines 6.2.4 Antituberculosis medicines
o 6.3 Antifungal medicineso 6.4 Antiviral medicines
6.4.1 Antiherpes medicines 6.4.2 Antiretrovirals
6.4.2.1 Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors 6.4.2.2 Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors 6.4.2.3 Protease inhibitors 6.4.2.4 Combination drugs 6.4.2.5 Other antivirals
o 6.5 Antiprotozoal medicines 6.5.1 Antiamoebic and antigiardiasis medicines 6.5.2 Antileishmaniasis medicines 6.5.3 Antimalarial medicines
6.5.3.1 For curative treatment
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6.5.3.2 For prophylaxis 6.5.4 Antipneumocytosis and antioxoplasmosis medicines 6.5.5 Antitrypanosomal medicines
6.5.5.1 African trypanosomiasis 6.5.6 American trypanosomiasis
y 7 Antimigraine medicineso 7.1 For treatment of acute attacko 7.2 For prophylaxis
y 8 Antineoplastic, immunosuppressives and medicines used in palliative careo 8.1 Immunosuppressive medicineso 8.2 Cytotoxic medicineso 8.3 Hormones and antihormoneso 8.4 Medicines used in palliative care
y 9 Antiparkinsonism medicinesy 10 Medicines affecting the blood
o 10.1 Antianaemia medicineso 10.2 Medicines affecting coagulation
y 11 Blood products and plasma substituteso 11.1 Plasma substituteso 11.2 Plasma fractions for specific use
y 12Cardiovascular medicineso 12.1 Antianginal medicineso 12.2 Antiarrhythmic medicineso 12.3 Antihypertensive medicineso 12.4 Medicines used in heart failureo 12.5 Antithrombotic medicineso 12.6 Lipid-lowering agents
y 13 Dermatological medicines (topical)o 13.1 Antifungal medicineso 13.2 Anti-infective medicineso 13.3 Anti-inflammatory and antipruritic medicineso 13.4 Astringent medicineso 13.5 Medicines affecting skin differentiation and proliferationo 13.6 Scabicides and pediculicides
y 14 Diagnostic agentso 14.1 Ophthalmic medicineso 14.2 Radiocontrast media
y 15 Disinfectants and antisepticso 15.1 Antisepticso 15.2 Disinfectants
y 16 Diureticsy 17 Gastrointestinal medicines
o 17.1 Antacids and other antiulcer medicineso 17.2 Antiemetic medicineso 17.3 Anti-inflammatory medicineso 17.4 Laxativeso 17.5 Medicines used in diarrhea
17.5.1 Oral rehydration 17.5.2 Medicines for diarrhea in children 17.5.3 Antidiarrheal (symptomatic) medicines in adults
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y 18 Hormones, other endocrine medicines and contraceptiveso 18.1 Adrenal hormones and synthetic substituteso 18.2 Androgenso 18.3 Contraceptives
18.3.1 Oral hormonal contraceptives 18.3.2 Injectable hormonal contraceptives 18.3.3 Intrauterine devices 18.3.4 Barrier methods 18.3.5 Implantable contraceptives
o 18.4 Estrogenso 18.5 Insulins and other antidiabetic agentso 18.6 Ovulation inducerso 18.7 Progesteroneso 18.8 Thyroid hormones and antithyroid medicines
y 19 Immunologicalso 19.1 Diagnostic agentso 19.2 Sera and immunoglobulinso 19.3 Vaccines
y 20 Muscle relaxants (peripherally-acting) and cholinesterase inhibitorsy 21 Ophthalmological preparations
o 21.1 Anti-infective agentso 21.2 Anti-inflammatory agentso 21.3 Local anestheticso 21.4 Miotics and antiglaucoma medicineso 21.5 Mydriatics
y 22 Oxytocics and antioxytocicso 22.1 Oxytocicso 22.2 Antioxytocics
y 23 Peritoneal dialysis solutiony 24 Psychotherapeutic medicines
o 24.1 Medicines used in psychotic disorders/diseaseso 24.2 Medicines used in mood disorders
24.2.1 Medicines used in depressive disorders 24.2.2 Medicines used in bipolar disorders
o 24.3 Medicines used in generalized anxiety and sleep disorderso 24.4 Medicines used for obsessive compulsive disorders and panic attackso 24.5 Medicines used in substance dependence programs
y 25 Medicines acting on the respiratory tracto 25.1 Antiasthmatic and medicines for chronic obstructive pulmonary diseaseo 25.2 Other medicines acting on the respiratory tract
y 26 Solutions correcting water, electrolyte and acid-base disturbanceso 26.1 Oralo 26.2 Parenteralo 26.3 Miscellaneous
y 27 Vitamins and minerals
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Anesthetics
General anesthetics and oxygen
1. Halothane2. Ketamine3. Nitrous Oxide4. Oxygen5. Thiopental
Local anesthetics
1. Bupivacaine2. Ephedrine 3. Lidocaine4. Lidocaine + epinephrine
Preoperative medication and sedation for short-term procedures
1. Atropine2. Diazepam3. Morphine4. Promethazine
Analgesics, antipyretics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory
medicines, medicines used to treat gout and disease
modifying agents in rheumatoid disorders
Non-opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIMs)
1. Acetylsalicylic Acid (Aspirin)2. Ibuprofen3. Paracetamol (Acetaminophen)
Opioid analgesics
1. Codeine2. Morphine
Medicines to treat gout
1. Allopurinol
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Disease modifying agents used in rheumatoid disorders (DMARDs)
1. Chloroquine2. Azathioprine 3. Methotrexate 4. Penicillamine
5. Sulfasalazine
Antiallergics and medicines used in anaphylaxis
1. Chlorphenamine2. Dexamethasone3. Epinephrine (adrenaline)4. Hydrocortisone5. Prednisolone
Antidotes and other substances used in poisonings
Non-specific
1. Activated carbonSpecific
1. Acetylcysteine2. Atropine3. Calcium gluconate4. Deferoxamine5. Dimercaprol6. DL-Methionine7. Methylthioninium chloride (methylene blue)8. Naloxone9. Penicillamine10.Potassium ferric hexacyanoferrate(II) (Prussian blue)11.Sodium calcium edetate12.Sodium nitrite13.Sodium thiosulfate
Anticonvulsants/antiepileptics
1. Carbamazepine2. Diazepam3. Ethosuximide4. Magnesium sulfate
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5. Phenobarbital6. Phenytoin7. Valproic acid8. Sodium valproate
Anti-infective medicines
Anthelminthics
Intestinal anthelminthics
1. Albendazole2. Levamisole3. Mebendazole4. Niclosamide5. Praziquantel6. Pyrantel
Antifilarials
1. Diethylcarbamazine 2. Ivermectin3. Suramin sodium
Antischistosomals and antitrematode medicine
1. Oxamniquine 2. Praziquantel3. Triclabendazole
Antibacterials
1. aquaflavine emulsionBeta Lactam medicines
1. Amoxicillin2. Ampicillin3. Benzathine benzylpenicillin4. Benzylpenicillin5. Cefazolin6. Cefixime7. Ceftazidime 8. Ceftriaxone 9. Cloxacillin10. Co-amoxiclav (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid)
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11. Imipenem/cilastatin (Imipenem + cilastatin) 12. Phenoxymethylpenicillin13. Procaine benzylpenicillin
Other antibacterials
1. Azithromycin2. Chloramphenicol3. Ciprofloxacin4. Clindamycin 5. Co-trimoxazole (sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim)6. Doxycycline7. Erythromycin8. Gentamicin9. Metronidazole10.Nitrofurantoin11.
Spectinomycin12. Sulfadiazine
13. Trimethoprim14. Vancomycin
Antileprosy medicines
1. Clofazimine2. Dapsone3. Rifampicin
Antituberculosis medicines
1. Amikacin 2. p-aminosalicylic acid 3. Capreomycin 4. Cycloserine 5. Ethambutol6. Ethionamide 7. Isoniazid8. Isoniazid + ethambutol9. Kanamycin 10. Ofloxacin 11. Pyrazinamide12. Rifampicin13. Rifampicin + isoniazid14. Rifampicin + isoniazid + ethambutol15. Rifampicin + isoniazid + pyrazinamide16. Rifampicin + isoniazid + pyrazinamide + ethambutol17. Streptomycin
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Antifungal medicines
1. Amphotericin B 2. Clotrimazole3. Fluconazole4. Flucytosine
5. Griseofulvin6. Nystatin7. Potassium iodide
Antiviral medicines
Antiherpes medicines
1. AciclovirAntiretrovirals
Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors
1. Abacavir (ABC)2. Didanosine (ddI)3. Emtricitabine (FTC)4. Lamivudine (3TC)5. Stavudine (d4T)6. Tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)7. Zidovudine (ZDV or AZT)
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
1. Efavirenz (EGV or EFZ)2. Nevirapine (NVP)
Protease inhibitors
1. Indinavir (IDV)2. Lopinavir + ritonavir (LPV/r)3. Nelfinavir (NFV)4. Ritonavir5. Saquinavir (SQV)
Combination drugs
1. Efavirenz + emtricitabine + tenofovir2. Emtricitabine + tenofovir3. Stavudine + lamivudine + nevirapine4. Zidovudine + lamivudine
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5. Zidovudine + lamivudine + nevirapineOther antivirals
1. RibavirinAntiprotozoal medicines
Antiamoebic and antigiardiasis medicines
1. Diloxanide2. Metronidazole
Antileishmaniasis medicines
1. Amphotericin B 2.
Meglumine antimoniate3. Pentamidine
Antimalarial medicines
For curative treatment
1. Amodiaquine2. Artemether3. Artemether + lumefantrine4. Artesunate5. Chloroquine6. Doxycycline7. Mefloquine8. Primaquine9. Quinine10. Sulfadoxine + pyrimethamine
For prophylaxis
1. Chloroquine2. Doxycycline3. Mefloquine4. Proguanil
Antipneumocytosis and antioxoplasmosis medicines
1. Pentamidine 2. Pyrimethamine3. Sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim
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Antitrypanosomal medicines
African trypanosomiasis
1. Eflornithine2. Melarsoprol3. Pentamidine4. Suramin sodium
American trypanosomiasis
1. Benznidazole2. Nifurtimox
Antimigraine medicines
For treatment of acute attack
1. Aspirin2. Paracetamol
For prophylaxis
1. PropranololAntineoplastic, immunosuppressives and medicines used in
palliative care
Immunosuppressive medicines
1. Azathioprine 2. Ciclosporin
Cytotoxic medicines
1. Asparaginase 2. Bleomycin 3. Calcium folinate 4. Chlorambucil 5. Cisplatin 6. Cyclophosphamide 7. Cytarabine 8. Dacarbazine 9. Dactinomycin
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10. Daunorubicin 11. Doxorubicin 12. Etoposide 13. Fluorouracil 14. Mercaptopurine 15.
Methotrexate
16. Procarbazine 17. Vinblastine 18. Vincristine
Hormones and antihormones
1. Dexamethasone 2. Hydrocortisone 3. Prednisolone 4. Tamoxifen
Medicines used in palliative care
None
Antiparkinsonism medicines
1. Biperiden2. Levodopa + carbidopa
Medicines affecting the bloodAntianaemia medicines
1. Ferrous salt2. Ferrous salt + folic acid3. Folic acid4. Hydroxocobalamin
Medicines affecting coagulation
1. Heparin sodium2. Phytomenadione3. Protamine sulfate4. Warfarin
Blood products and plasma substitutes
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Plasma substitutes
1. Dextran 70Plasma fractions for specific use
1. Human normal immunoglobulin 2. Factor VIII concentrate 3. Factor IX complex (II, VII, IX, X concentrate)
Cardiovascular medicines
Antianginal medicines
1. Atenolol2.
Glyceryl trinitrate3. Isosorbide dinitrate4. Verapamil
Antiarrhythmic medicines
1. Atenolol2. Digoxin3. Epinephrine4. Lidocaine5. Procainamide 6.
Quinidine
7. VerapamilAntihypertensive medicines
1. Amlodipine2. Atenolol3. Enalapril4. Hydralazine (for acute, severe pregnancy-induced hypertension only)5. Hydrochlorothiazide6. Methyldopa7.
Sodium nitroprusside
Medicines used in heart failure
1. Digoxin2. Dopamine3. Enalapril4. Furosemide
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5. HydrochlorothiazideAntithrombotic medicines
1. Acetylsalicylic acid2. Streptokinase
Lipid-lowering agents
1. SimvastatinDermatological medicines (topical)
Antifungal medicines
1.Benzoic acid + salicylic acid (see also Whitfield's ointment)2. Miconazole
3. Selenium sulfide 4. Sodium thiosulfate
Anti-infective medicines
1. Methylrosanilinium chloride2. Neomycin sulfate + bacitracin3. Potassium permanganate4. Silver sulfadiazine
Anti-inflammatory and antipruritic medicines
1. Betamethasone2. Calamine lotion3. Hydrocortisone
Astringent medicines
1. Aluminium diacetate
Medicines affecting skin differentiation and proliferation
1. Benzoyl peroxide2. Coal tar3. Dithranol4. Fluorouracil5. Podophyllum resin6. Salicylic acid
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7. UreaScabicides and pediculicides
1. Benzyl benzoate2. Permethrin
Diagnostic agents
Ophthalmic medicines
1. Fluorescein2. Tropicamide
Radiocontrast media
1. Amidotrizoate2. Barium sulfate3. Iohexol4. Meglumine iotroxate
Disinfectants and antiseptics
Antiseptics
1. Chlorhexidine2. Ethanol3. Povidone iodine
Disinfectants
1. Chlorine base compound2. Chloroxylenol3. Glutaral
Diuretics
1. Amiloride2. Furosemide3. Hydrochlorothiazide4. Mannitol5. Spironolactone
Gastrointestinal medicines
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Contraceptives
Oral hormonal contraceptives
1. Ethinylestradiol + levonorgestrel2. Ethinylestradiol + norethisterone3. Levonorgestrel
Injectable hormonal contraceptives
1. Medroxyprogesterone acetate2. Medroxyprogesterone acetate + estradiol cypionate3. Norethisterone enantate
Intrauterine devices
1. Copper-containing IUDBarrier methods
1. Condoms2. Diaphragms
Implantable contraceptives
1. Levonorgestrel-releasing implant
Estrogens
1. EthinylestradiolInsulins and other antidiabetic agents
1. Glibenclamide2. Insulin injection3. Intermediate-acting insulin4. Metformin
Ovulation inducers
1. Clomifene Progesterones
1. Medroxyprogesterone acetate 2. Norethisterone
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Thyroid hormones and antithyroid medicines
1. Levothyroxine2. Potassium iodide3. Propylthiouracil
Immunologicals
Diagnostic agents
1. TuberculinSera and immunoglobulins
1. Anti-D immunoglobulin2.
Antitetanus immunoglobulin3. Antivenom immunoglobulin4. Diphtheria antitoxin5. Rabies immunoglobulin
Vaccines
1. Bacillus Calmette-Gurin vaccine (BCG) for tuberculosis2. Cholera vaccine3. Diphtheria vaccine4. Hepatitis A vaccine5.
Hepatitis B vaccine6. Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine
7. Influenza vaccine8. Japanese encephalitis vaccine9. Measles vaccine10. Meningococcal meningitis vaccine11. Mumps vaccine12. Pertussis vaccine13. Pneumococcal vaccine14. Poliomyelitis vaccine15. Rabies vaccine16.
Rotavirus vaccine17. Rubella vaccine18. Tetanus vaccine19. Typhoid vaccine20. Varicella vaccine21. Yellow fever vaccine
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Muscle relaxants (peripherally-acting) and cholinesterase
inhibitors
1. Alcuronium2.
Neostigmine
3. Pyridostigmine 4. Suxamethonium5. Vecuronium
Ophthalmological preparations
Anti-infective agents
1. Aciclovir2. Gentamicin3. Tetracycline4. Ganciclovir
Anti-inflammatory agents
1. PrednisoloneLocal anesthetics
1. TetracaineMiotics and antiglaucoma medicines
1. Acetazolamide2. Pilocarpine3. Timolol
Mydriatics
1. Atropine2. Epinephrine
Oxytocics and antioxytocics
Oxytocics
1. Ergometrine2. Mifepristone-misoprostol
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3. Misoprostol 4. Oxytocin
Antioxytocics
1. NifedipinePeritoneal dialysis solution
1. Intraperitoneal dialysis solution Psychotherapeutic medicines
Medicines used in psychotic disorders/diseases
1. Chlorpromazine2. Fluphenazine3. Haloperidol
Medicines used in mood disorders
Medicines used in depressive disorders
1. Amitriptyline2. Fluoxetine3. Sertraline4. Bupropion
Medicines used in bipolar disorders
1. Carbamazepine2. Lithium carbonate3. Valproic acid
Medicines used in generalized anxiety and sleep disorders
1. DiazepamMedicines used for obsessive compulsive disorders and panic attacks
1. ClomipramineMedicines used in substance dependence programs
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1. Methadone Medicines acting on the respiratory tract
Antiasthmatic and medicines for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
1. Beclometasone2. Epinephrine3. Ipratropium bromide
Other medicines acting on the respiratory tract
1. Caffeine citrateSolutions correcting water, electrolyte and acid-base
disturbances
Oral
1. Oral rehydration salts (see 17.5.1 Oral rehydration)2. Potassium chloride
Parenteral
1. Glucose2.
Glucose with sodium chloride3. Potassium chloride
4. Sodium chloride5. Sodium hydrogen carbonate6. Sodium lactate
Miscellaneous
1. Saline solution for injection/rehydrationVitamins and minerals
1. Ascorbic acid2. Calcium gluconate 3. Ergocalciferol4. Iodine5. Nicotinamide6. Pyridoxine7. Retinol
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8. Riboflavin9. Sodium fluoride10. Thiamine
Notes
^ A indicates the medicine is a complementary item, that is one which enhances the
action of another item on this list.