World Health Organization Essential Medicines

The year 2011 saw the new publication of the new list of the “Model List of Essential Medicines” by the World Health Organization (WHO), alongside the publication of the “Model list of Essential Medicines for Children”. This revised list contains the drugs that can satisfy the health care needs of the majority of the population. As recommended by the WHO, they should be available at all times in adequate amounts in a appropriate dosage form at affordable prices.

The most current list, although has some controversial omissions that some experts say are not in the best interest of the people of the world. With every revision, done every two years, some exclusions are made and some additions are made. What is the criteria for selection for this list? According to the World Health Organization: cost and effectiveness. This factors are the way that WHO prioritizes what medicine can make the list and which should be excluded. One of the most talked about, and controversial exclusions made by the WHO is drugs aimed for men struggling with Impotence, citing them as a non-priority. The biggest controversy surrounding this list is that drugs like Sildenafil Citrate (Viagra) or similar, are not even on the list for consideration. This is a source of great debate in the pharmaceutical community. Since the list includes drugs for women struggling with conception and other related yet similar drugs.

The main problem, seems to be, the large cost it means for the average patient to buy Viagra, since drugs in this nature are very expensive and it somewhat became the flagship product for its manufacturer, Pfizer. But the list even excludes generic Viagra alternatives from its list, some speculate that this is done as a result of pressure by large pharmaceutical companies. The controversy remains as the new revision will be done in 2013, it will be until then when the world will see if the drug might be included in the new list by the World Health Organization.