24 October 2022 - The Model List of Essential Medicines of the World Health Organization highlights medicines considered the most effective, safe, and important for priority public health needs. 

In the years since its first publication in 1977, the Essential Medicines List has shaped the diffusion and reimbursement of new medicines in health systems around the world. 

The list, which remains a voluntary guideline for national formularies, was established with the goal of making included therapies widely available and affordable. However, the selection of medicines for inclusion in the list has been increasingly complicated by the escalating prices of new drugs entering the market.

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