WHO updates global guidance on medicines and diagnostic tests

July 9, 2019

“WHO updates global guidance on medicines and diagnostic tests to address health challenges, prioritize highly effective therapeutics, and improve affordable access”

healthy soch

New Delhi, July 09, 2019:

WHO’s Essential Medicines List and List of Essential Diagnostics are core guidance documents that help countries prioritize critical health products that should be widely available and affordable throughout health systems.

Published today, the two lists focus on cancer and other global health challenges, with an emphasis on effective solutions, smart prioritization, and optimal access for patients.

“Around the world, more than 150 countries use WHO’s Essential Medicines List to guide decisions about which medicines represent the best value for money, based on evidence and health impact,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The inclusion in this list of some of the newest and most advanced cancer drugs is a strong statement that everyone deserves access to these life-saving medicines, not just those who can afford them.”

The Essential Medicines List (2019)

Cancer treatments: While several new cancer treatments have been marketed in recent years, only a few deliver sufficient therapeutic benefits to be considered essential. The five cancer therapies WHO added to the new Medicines List are regarded as the best in terms of survival rates to treat melanoma, lung, blood and prostate cancers.

For example, two recently developed immunotherapies (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) have delivered up to 50% survival rates for advanced melanoma, a cancer that until recently was incurable.

Antibiotics: The Essential Medicines Committee strengthened advice on antibiotic use by updating the AWARE categories, which indicate which antibiotics to use for the most common and serious infections to achieve better treatment outcomes and reduce the risk of antimicrobial resistance.  The committee recommended that three new antibiotics for the treatment of multi-drug resistant infections be added as essential.

Other updates to the medicines list include:

  • New oral anticoagulants to prevent stroke as an alternative to warfarin for atrial fibrillation and treatment of deep vein thrombosis. These are particularly advantageous for low-income countries as, unlike warfarin, they do not require regular monitoring;
  • Biologics and their respective biosimilars for chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases;
  • Heat-stable carbetocin for the prevention of postpartum haemorrhage. This new formulation has similar effects to oxytocin, the current standard therapy, but offers advantages for tropical countries as it does not require refrigeration;

Not all submissions to the EML Committee are included in the list. For example, medicines for multiple sclerosis submitted for inclusion were not listed. The Committee noted that some relevant therapeutic options currently marketed in many countries were not included in the submissions; it will welcome a revised application with all relevant available options. The EML Committee also did not recommend including methylphenidate, a medicine for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), as the committee found uncertainties in the estimates of benefit.

www.healthysoch.com

The List of Essential (in vitro) Diagnostics

The first List of Essential Diagnostics was published in 2018, concentrating on a limited number of priority diseases – HIV, malaria, tuberculosis, and hepatitis. This year’s list has expanded to include more noncommunicable and communicable diseases.

Cancers: Given how critical it is to secure an early cancer diagnosis (70% of cancer deaths occur in low- and middle-income countries largely because most patients are diagnosed too late), WHO added 12 tests to the Diagnostics List to detect a wide range of solid tumours such as colorectal, liver, cervical, prostate, breast and germ cell cancers, as well as leukemia and lymphomas. To support appropriate cancer diagnosis, a new section covering anatomical pathology testing was added; this service must be made available in specialized laboratories.

Infectious diseases: The list focuses on additional infectious diseases prevalent in low- and middle-income countries such as cholera, and neglected diseases like leishmaniasis, schistosomiasis, dengue, and zika.

In addition, a new section for influenza testing was added for community health settings where no laboratories are available.

General test: The list was also expanded to include additional general tests which address a range of different diseases and conditions, such as iron tests (for anemia), and tests to diagnose thyroid malfunction and sickle cell (an inherited form of anemia very widely present in Sub-Saharan Africa).

Another notable update is a new section specific to tests intended for screening of blood donations.  This is part of a WHO-wide strategy to make blood transfusions safer.

“The List of Essential Diagnostics was introduced in 2018 to guide the supply of tests and improve treatment outcomes,” said Mariângela Simão, WHO Assistant Director-General for Medicines and Health Products. “As countries move towards universal health coverage and medicines become more available, it will be crucial to have the right diagnostic tools to ensure appropriate treatment.”

healthysoch

Stay informed with the latest news from HealthySoch. Sign up today for exclusive insights and updates!

We promise we never spam!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Health Tips

Dr. T S Kler Padma Bhushan Awardee
MD, DM, MRCP, FRCP(U.K), FACC, D.Sc
Chairman – Fortis Heart Institute Gurugram

Precautions to avoid Corona Virus:

  1. Stay home as far as possible.
  2. Wash hands with soap and water frequently.
  3. Keep distance from people even your home members.
  4. Keep atleast 1-2 metres away from anybody coughing.
  5. Don’t touch your face, nose and mouth.

 

Dr. K.K Says

Archives

MonTueWedThuFriSatSun
    123
45678910
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
26272829   
       
891011121314
293031    
       
    123
45678910
11121314151617
25262728293031
       
  12345
6789101112
13141516171819
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
9101112131415
16171819202122
3031     
     12
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      
   1234
567891011
12131415161718
2627282930  
       
1234567
891011121314
22232425262728
293031    
       
     12
3456789
17181920212223
24252627282930
       
  12345
6789101112
       
  12345
13141516171819
2728     
       
      1
9101112131415
3031     
   1234
567891011
       
282930    
       
    123
45678910
       
  12345
27282930   
       
      1
3031     
    123
11121314151617
       
28      
       
2930     
       
    123
       
       
       
      1
9101112131415
3031     
     12
3456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
242526272829 
       
  12345
13141516171819
2728293031  
       
      1
23242526272829
3031     
    123
       
    123
25262728   
       
78910111213
28293031   
       
293031    
       
14151617181920
28293031   
       
   1234
567891011
       
   1234
567891011
262728    
       
891011121314
293031    
       
    123
18192021222324
25262728293031
       
  12345
27282930   
       
      1
2345678
16171819202122
3031     
    123
45678910
18192021222324
       
28293031   
       
     12
31      
   1234
       
  12345
6789101112
       
HealthySoch

Don't Miss