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Press Releases
WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines
(Alexandria, VA) – The WHO Essential Medicines program was started in 1976 and Dr. Reidenberg was appointed to its Expert Panel and Expert Advisory Committee in 1989. The WHO appoints a panel of international experts after receiving approval from their member states. Dr. Reidenberg's appointment was approved by the U.S. government. Members of the Expert Committee are selected from members of the Expert Panel. The Essential Medicines program established the essential medicines concept, that a limited list of essential medicines to meet the medical needs of the vast majority of a population be purchased and made available to everyone in the population before money is spent purchasing other medicines. One hundred and fifty-six countries have adopted this concept in principle. This Expert Committee advises the Director General of WHO about policies and issues related to essential medicines, and regularly updates a Model List of Essential Medicines to show how the concept can be implemented. In 1977, the first Model List contained 186 drugs. Now, 30 years later, it contains somewhat over 300. The Model List, itself, is used as a purchasing list by many countries with limited resources that are helped by this international expert advice in setting their priorities for purchasing essential medicines. Most if not all donor agencies such as UNICEF will only purchase medicines on the Model List. In additional, non-governmental organizations and charities use this list as a guide to their donations. This WHO program has had global impact on making essential medicines available to those who need them.
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