WHO Updates Essential Medicines List with New Cancer & Diabetes Treatments
The World Health Institution (WHO) has expanded its Model Lists of Essential Medicines, adding 35 drugs to improve treatment options for a range of conditions, including cancer, diabetes, and cystic fibrosis. The updated lists, one for adults and one for children, are designed to guide countries in prioritizing healthcare purchases and ensuring access to vital medications.A meaningful focus of the update is addressing the growing global burden of diabetes and obesity. The WHO reports over 800 million people worldwide lived with diabetes in 2022, with half receiving no treatment, while a billion people are affected by obesity. New additions include medications like semaglutide, dulaglutide, and liraglutide, used to manage type 2 diabetes, particularly in patients with co-existing heart or kidney disease. Thes drugs have also demonstrated benefits in weight loss and reducing the risk of complications and early death.
The WHO also rigorously reviewed cancer treatments, evaluating 25 drugs across seven requests. The organization emphasizes its expert committee employs strict criteria, recommending only therapies demonstrably extending patient life by at least four to six months. This resulted in the inclusion of a limited number of cancer drugs meeting these high standards.Established in 1977 to improve access to medicines in developing nations,the essential medicines lists now comprise 523 drugs for adults and 374 for children. The recent analysis led to the addition of 20 new medicines to the adult list and 15 to the children’s list, alongside expanded uses for seven existing medications.These lists serve as a benchmark for public health procurement, insurance coverage, and overall drug policy in over 150 countries.
