WHO Model List of Essential Medicines

The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (aka Essential Medicines List or EML[1]), published by the World Health Organization (WHO), contains the medications considered to be most effective and safe to meet the most important needs in a health system.

[4] The complementary items either require additional infrastructure such as specially trained health care providers or diagnostic equipment or have a lower cost–benefit ratio.

[6] While most medications on the list are available as generic products, being under patent does not preclude inclusion.

[5][19] The Essential Medicines List (EML) was updated in July 2023 to its 23rd edition.

[10][21][22][23] It was created to make sure that the needs of children were systematically considered such as availability of proper formulations.

An item may also be listed as complementary on the basis of higher costs or a less attractive cost-benefit ratio.