Essential drugs
Essential drugs
Essential drugs (pronunciation: /ɪˈsɛnʃəl drʌgz/) are those that satisfy the health care needs of the majority of the population; they should therefore be available at all times in adequate amounts and in appropriate dosage forms, at a price the community can afford.
Etymology
The term "essential drugs" is derived from the Latin word "essentia" meaning "essence" and the Old French word "drogue" meaning "a dry herb."
Definition
The World Health Organization (WHO) has defined essential drugs as those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population. They are selected with due regard to public health relevance, evidence on efficacy and safety, and comparative cost-effectiveness.
List of Essential Drugs
The WHO maintains a Model List of Essential Medicines, which is a list of minimum medicine needs for a basic health care system, listing the most efficacious, safe and cost–effective medicines for priority conditions.
Related Terms
- Pharmacology: The branch of medicine that deals with the uses, effects, and modes of action of drugs.
- Therapeutics: The branch of medicine concerned with the treatment and prevention of diseases.
- Public Health: The science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life, and promoting health through the organized efforts of society.
- Efficacy: The ability to produce a desired or intended result.
- Safety: The condition of being protected from or unlikely to cause danger, risk, or injury.
- Cost-effectiveness: The effectiveness of a drug in relation to its cost.
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Essential drugs
- Wikipedia's article - Essential drugs
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