Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice

Special Series in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice – 50th Anniversary of the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines

2027 marks the 50^th anniversary of the World Health Organization Model List of Essential Medicines. In 1977, the World Health Organization published the first list of 205 items and 186 medicines with the goal to support countries in their “selection and procurement, at reasonable cost, of essential drugs of established quality corresponding to their national health needs”.

The concept of essential medicines is widely acknowledged as a pivotal advancement in public health, fundamentally changing how governments ensure that medicines are available, affordable, accessible, of high quality, and used appropriately. This approach is implemented through national essential medicines programs, which are built on several key components:

• Identifying and prioritizing essential medicines for public distribution or insurance coverage;
• Integrating these selections with the creation and application of national clinical guidelines based on solid evidence to encourage proper usage;
• Establishing effective systems for procurement and supply chain management;
• Ensuring consistent financial support through sound healthcare funding policies;
• Enacting comprehensive national medicines policies that align public and private sector interests, uniting government efforts and resources toward a shared national objective;
• Continuously assessing patient access to medications and evaluating the pharmaceutical system’s performance, using data to refine policies and improve implementation strategies.

More than 150 countries -regardless of their income level – have an essential medicines list. Over the past decades, the concept has evolved and been adapted in response to rapid advancements in pharmaceutical innovation, manufacturing, and rising healthcare costs. These changes underscore the need for strategic decision-making, particularly as countries strive to achieve universal health coverage.

To commemorate this milestone, the Journal of Pharmaceutical Policy and Practice (JoPPP) is launching a special series dedicated to the 50th Anniversary of the WHO Model List. We invite submissions on a range of topics, including but not limited to:

• Country experiences of using the Essential Medicines List to inform financing, procurement, supply and use of medicines, in a spectrum of low, middle and high income countries;
• Impact of the national Essential Medicines List on availability, affordability, quality and use of medicines at the country’s level, especially the private sector;
• Impact of the national Essential Medicines List on health systems, mortality and morbidity indicators;
• How countries have trained and promoted capacity building of prescribers using the essential medicines concept;
• Country use of the experts’ reviews and evidence submitted to the WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines;

We especially welcome contributions of authors who are part country governments and case studies.

The series will open immediately and will run till December 2027.