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WHO’s model list of essential medicines (Updated in April 2013, once every two years) has about 350 drugs (368 to be more precise). WHO has two lists one is for adults and the other is for children. Most of the developing countries list of essential medicines is directly adapted from this list. Moreover these drugs are made available at lower costs to developing nations as the need maybe by the WHO.
Download the list here or view the alphabetical list online here
Similarily in India also we have a list of about 348 medicines that are considered as “National list of essential medicines”. In India the list is compiled by Central Drugs Standard Control Organization (CDSCO). It is worthwhile to note that most of the drug listed here are Generics (more than 90 %).
Download the list of Indian Essential Medicines here or view the alphabetical list online here
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[tab name=”Significance”]Government of India has a strict control over the prices of these drugs. No wonder drug prices are very cheap in India.
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Wonder why drug prices are cheap in India? It involves a lot of factors, the DPCO, WTO & GATT implications, the Patent Act and even the Previous concept of process patent over product patents for drugs. We shall talk about this in a future article [/tab]
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References:
1. http://www.who.int/medicines/publications/essentialmedicines/en/
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