The WHO essential medicines library R.Gray, E. Murray and H.V.Hogerzeil Dept. of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy, WHO, Geneva ICIUM 2004

The WHO essential medicines library The WHO Essential Medicines Library (EMLib) is an electronic resource based on the 316 medicines on the WHO Model List. It is primarily intended to assist national, hospital and institutional essential medicines selection committees and is not recommended for direct use by prescribers or consumers.

The WHO essential medicines library The medicines are linked to the WHO Model Formulary and 290 diseases, clinical indications and symptoms which, in their turn, link to WHO Clinical Guidelines. There are further links to evidence sources, such as CIRE*, the Cochrane Collaboration and SIGN*, indicative prices, ATC/DDD* information, the WHO INN* site, the WHO Collaborating Centre hosting an adverse drug reactions database* and medicines quality information sites. *Continuous Identification of Research Evidence (CIRE) system (reproductive health) *Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network (SIGN) *Anatomic, Therapeutic Chemical classification / Defined Daily Dosage (ATC/DDD); WHO Collaborating Centre for Statistics Methodology, Oslo, Norway *International Nonproprietary Name *The Uppsala Monitoring Centre, WHO Collaborating Centre for International Monitoring (adverse drug reactions)

WHO Model List Summary of clinical guideline Reasons for inclusion Systematic reviews Key references WHO Model Formulary Cost: - per unit - per treatment - per month - per case prevented Quality information: - Basic quality tests - Intern. Pharmacopoea - Reference standards Clinical guideline BNF WHO clusters MSH UNICEF MSF WHO/QSM WHO/EDM WHO/EC, Cochrane Statistics: - ATC - DDD WCCs Oslo/Uppsala International Nonproprietary Names (INN) Adverse drug reactions, WHO Collaborating Centre The WHO essential medicines library

The site is being continuously modified and a number of summaries of WHO clinical guidelines should be considered as provisional. In case of doubt or discrepancy between these summaries and the original printed documents, the relevant WHO Department or WHO/EDM should be contacted. Comments on content and layout of the website are welcome and should be sent to; Dr Robin Gray, WHO, Dept. of Essential Drugs and medicines Policy, by fax: or by For issues related to the computerized information management please contact Mr Jörg Hetzke: