Historical notes and reviews
← vista completaPublished on June 25, 2013 | http://doi.org/10.5867/medwave.2013.05.5733
Essential medicines: an overview of some milestones in the last forty years (1975-2013)
Los medicamentos esenciales: una mirada de algunos hitos en los últimos cuarenta años (1975-2013)
Abstract
Despite progress in the last four decades in terms of access to essential medicines, more than a third of the world population especially from the poorest countries have serious difficulties in accessing the medicines they need at an affordable price and with the right quality. Already in 1975 the 28th World Health Assembly discussed the need to set recommendations regarding selection and acquisition of medicines at reasonable prices and proven quality to meet national health needs. Consequently in 1977, the first WHO Model List of Essential Medicines was prepared by an expert committee. Since then, the list has been subjected to a series of updating and dissemination processes, together with discussion about the cost, patents and quality of medicines, as well as information on safety and effectiveness of each drug that is listed. The article addresses how this process has evolved from the beginning to present day.
