Essential Drug Concept

Essential Drug Concept

1. Essential Medicines (Drugs) Concept
Department of Pharmacology

2. •TheWHOhasdefinedEssentialMedicines(drugs)as“thosethat
satisfythepriorityhealthcareneedsofthepopulation.
•Theyareselectedwithdueregardtopublichealthrelevance,evidence
onefficacyandsafetyandcomparativecosteffectiveness.
•Essentialmedicinesareintendedtobeavailablewithinthecontextof
functioninghealthsystemsatalltimesandinadequateamounts,in
appropriatedosageforms,withassuredqualityandadequate
informationandatapricetheindividualandthecommunitycan
afford.

3. •Ithasbeenrealizedthatonlyahandfulofmedicinesoutofthe
multitudeavailablecanmeetthehealthcareneedsofmajorityofthe
peopleinanycountry,andthatmanywelltestedandcheaper
medicinesareequally(ormore)efficaciousandsafeastheirnewermore
expensivecongeners.
•Foroptimumutilizationofresources,governmentsshouldconcentrate
onthesemedicinesbyidentifyingthemasEssentialmedicines.

4. •WHOhaslaiddowncriteriatoguideselectionofanessentialmedicine.
Adequatedataonitsefficacyandsafety
Quality,bioavailabilityandstabilityonstorage
Genetic,demographicandenvironmentalfactors.
Relativeefficacy,safety,quality,priceandavailability.
Cost-benefitratioshouldbeamajorconsideration.
Pharmacokineticproperties
Fixedratiocombinationproducts
Publichealthaction,epidemiologicalconditions
Developedtreatmentguidelines.

5. •Toguidethemembercountries,theWHObroughtoutitsfirstModel
ListofEssentialDrugsalongwiththeirdosageformsandstrengthsin
1977whichcouldbeadoptedaftersuitablemodificationsaccordingto
localneeds.
•Thishasbeenrevisedfromtimetotimeandthecurrentisthe17thlist
(2011).
•IndiaproduceditsNationalEssentialDrugsListin1996andhasrevised
itin2011withthetitle“NationalListofEssentialMedicines”.
•Thisincludes348medicineswhichareconsideredtobeadequatetomeet
thepriorityhealthcareneedsofthegeneralpopulationofthecountry

6. Prescriptionandnon-prescriptiondrugs
•Asperdrugrules,majorityofdrugsincludingallantibioticsmust
besoldinretailonlyagainstaprescriptionissuedtoapatientbya
registeredmedicalpractitioner.
•Thesearecalled‘prescriptiondrugs’,andinIndiatheyhavebeen
placedinthescheduleHoftheDrugsandCosmeticRules(1945)as
amendedfromtimetotime.
•However,fewdrugslikesimpleanalgesics(paracetamol,aspirin),
antacids,laxatives(senna,lactulose),vitamins,ferroussaltsare
consideredrelativelyharmless,andcanbeprocuredwithouta
prescription.
•Theseare‘non-prescription’or‘overthecounter’(OTC)drugs;can
besoldevenbygrocerystores

8. Orphan Drugs
•Thesearedrugsorbiologicalproductsfordiagnosis/treatment/
preventionofararediseaseorcondition,oramorecommon
diseaseforwhichthereisnoreasonableexpectationthatthecostof
developingandmarketingitwillberecoveredfromthesalesofthat
drug.
•Thoughthesedrugsmaybelifesavingforsomepatients,theyare
commerciallydifficulttoobtainasamedicinalproduct.
•Governmentsindevelopedcountriesoffertaxbenefitsandother
incentivestopharmaceuticalcompaniesfordevelopingand
marketingorphandrugs(e.g.OrphanDrugActinUSA).

9. Thelistincludes
Sodiumnitrite
Fomepizole
LiposomalamphotericinB,
Miltefosine
Rifabutin
Succimer
Somatropin
DigoxinimmuneFab(digoxinantibody)
Liothyronine(T
3)