of
Essential Medicines
18th list
(April 2013)
(Final Amendments – October 2013)
halothane Inhalation.
isoflurane Inhalation.
Complementary List
Injection: 1 mg/ml.
Injection: 50 mg/ml.
cyclizine [c]
Tablet: 50 mg.
Injection: 4 mg/ml in 1‐ml ampoule (as disodium
phosphate salt).
dexamethasone
Oral liquid: 2 mg/5 ml.
4.1 Non-specific
4.2 Specific
methylthioninium chloride
Injection: 10 mg/ml in 10‐ml ampoule.
(methylene blue)
Complementary List
5. ANTICONVULSANTS/ANTIEPILEPTICS
Complementary List
6. ANTI-INFECTIVE MEDICINES
6.1 Anthelminthics
6.1.2 Antifilarials
Complementary List
6.2 Antibacterials
a >1 month.
Complementary List
Complementary List
Medicines used in the treatment of leprosy should never be used except in combination. Combination
therapy is essential to prevent the emergence of drug resistance. Colour coded blister packs (MDT blister
packs) containing standard two medicine (paucibacillary leprosy) or three medicine (multibacillary
leprosy) combinations for adult and childhood leprosy should be used. MDT blister packs can be supplied
free of charge through WHO.
Tablet:
Complementary List
Reserve second‐line drugs for the treatment of multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) should
be used in specialized centres adhering to WHO standards for TB control.
Granules: 4 g in sachet.
p‐aminosalicylic acid
Tablet: 500 mg.
Capsule: 50 mg.
Complementary List
6.4.2 Antiretrovirals
Based on current evidence and experience of use, medicines in the following three classes of
antiretrovirals are included as essential medicines for treatment and prevention of HIV (prevention of
mother‐to‐child transmission and post‐exposure prophylaxis). WHO emphasizes the importance of using
these products in accordance with global and national guidelines. WHO recommends and endorses the
use of fixed‐dose combinations and the development of appropriate new fixed‐dose combinations,
including modified dosage forms, non‐refrigerated products and paediatric dosage forms of assured
pharmaceutical quality.
Scored tablets can be used in children and therefore can be considered for inclusion in the listing of
tablets, provided adequate quality products are available.
a >3 months.
Selection of protease inhibitor(s) from the Model List will need to be determined by each country after
consideration of international and national treatment guidelines and experience. Ritonavir is
recommended for use in combination as a pharmacological booster, and not as an antiretroviral in its own
right. All other protease inhibitors should be used in boosted forms (e.g. with ritonavir).
a >25 kg.
a >25 kg.
FIXED-DOSE COMBINATIONS
Solid oral dosage form: 200 mg; 400 mg; 600 mg.
ribavirin*
* For the treatment of viral haemorrhagic fevers and
in combination with pegylated interferons for the
treatment of Hepatitis C
Complementary List
Medicines for the treatment of P. falciparum malaria cases should be used in combination. The list
currently recommends combinations according to treatment guidelines. WHO recognizes that not all of
the FDCs in the WHO treatment guidelines exist, and encourages their development and rigorous testing.
WHO also encourages development and testing of rectal dosage formulations.
a >8 years.
Injection:
7. ANTIMIGRAINE MEDICINES
Complementary List
Complementary List
Injection: 50 mg/5 ml; 150 mg/15 ml; 450 mg/45 ml; 600
carboplatin
mg/60 ml.
Solid oral dosage form: 200 mg; 250 mg; 300 mg; 400
hydroxycarbamide
mg; 500 mg; 1 g.
Complementary List
9. ANTIPARKINSONISM MEDICINES
Injection: 5 mg (lactate) in 1‐ml ampoule.
biperiden
Tablet: 2 mg (hydrochloride).
Complementary List
platelet concentrates
whole blood
11.2 Plasma-derived medicines
All human plasma derived medicines should comply with the WHO Requirements.
11.2.1 Human immunoglobulins
Complementary List
Complementary List
Complementary List
Complementary List
Complementary List
Complementary List
Cream: 1%.
silver sulfadiazine a
a >2 months.
calamine Lotion.
Lotion: 25%.
benzyl benzoate a
a >2 years.
Complementary List
15.1 Antiseptics
15.2 Disinfectants
16. DIURETICS
Solid oral dosage form: 0.5 mg; 0.75 mg; 1.5 mg;
4 mg.
a Not in neonates.
Retention enema.
Complementary List
17.4 Laxatives
glucose: 75 mEq
sodium: 75 mEq or mmol/L
chloride: 65 mEq or mmol/L
potassium: 20 mEq or mmol/L
citrate: 10 mmol/L
osmolarity: 245 mOsm/L
glucose: 13.5 g/L
oral rehydration salts sodium chloride: 2.6 g/L
potassium chloride: 1.5 g/L
trisodium citrate dihydrate+: 2.9 g/L
Complementary List
18.3 Contraceptives
copper‐containing device
condoms
diaphragms
18.4 Estrogens
Complementary List
18.7 Progestogens
All tuberculins should comply with the WHO Requirements for Tuberculins.
Injection.
antivenom immunoglobulin*
* Exact type to be defined locally.
19.3 Vaccines
Selection of vaccines from the Model List will need to be determined by each country after consideration
of international recommendations, epidemiology and national priorities. The list below details the
vaccines for which there is either a recommendation from the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts on
Immunization (SAGE) (http://www.who.int/immunization/sage_conclusions/en/index.html) and/or a
WHO position paper (http://www.who.int/immunization/documents/positionpapers/en/index.html). This
site will be updated as new position papers are published and contains the most recent information and
recommendations.
All vaccines should comply with the WHO Requirements for Biological Substances.
BCG vaccine
cholera vaccine
diphtheria vaccine
hepatitis A vaccine
hepatitis B vaccine
measles vaccine
mumps vaccine
pertussis vaccine
pneumococcal vaccine
poliomyelitis vaccine
rabies vaccine
rotavirus vaccine
rubella vaccine
tetanus vaccine
typhoid vaccine
varicella vaccine
Tablet: 15 mg (bromide).
Complementary List
21.5 Mydriatics
Complementary List
Complementary List
22.1 Oxytocics
Complementary List
Complementary List
Complementary List
Complementary List
26.1 Oral
26.2 Parenteral
26.3 Miscellaneous
Complementary List
Complementary List
atazanavir >25 kg
atropine >3 months
benzyl benzoate >2 years
betamethasone topical preparations Hydrocortisone preferred in neonates
cefazolin >1 month
ceftriaxone >41 weeks corrected gestational age
diloxanide >25 kg
doxycycline >8 years (except for serious infections e.g. cholera)
efavirenz >3 years or >10 kg
emtricitabine >3 months
fluoxetine >8 years
ibuprofen >3 months (except IV form for patent ductus arteriosus)
mefloquine >5 kg or >3 months
metoclopramide Not in neonates
ondansetron >1 month
saquinavir >25 kg
silver sulfadiazine >2 months
tetracaine Not in preterm neonates
trimethoprim >6 months
xylometazoline >3 months
Term Definition
The term ʹsolid oral dosage formʹ is never intended to allow any type of
modified‐release tablet.
Refers to:
* Scored tablets may be divided for ease of swallowing, provided dose is a whole number of tablets.
18th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (April 2013) page - 37
Essential Medicines 18th edition
WHO Model List
Term Definition
Capsules The term ʹcapsuleʹ without qualification is never intended to allow any
type of modified‐release capsule.
Term Definition
Injection Refers to solutions, suspensions and emulsions including those
constituted from powders or concentrated solutions.
Injection (qualified) Route of administration is indicated in parentheses where relevant.
Injection (oily) The term injection is qualified by (oily) in relevant entries.
Intravenous infusion Refers to solutions and emulsions including those constituted from
powders or concentrated solutions.