E-drug: Evidence-based treatment guidelines (cont'd)
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Dear e-druggers,
Following the question by Andreas Wulf I would like to update you on
the situation with the WHO Model List of Essential Drugs and
evidence-based treatment guidelines.
1) WHO/EDM is making an inventory of all treatment guidelines issued
by WHO. Sofar we have identified 116. We are also involved in an
organisation-wide effort by which the process of developing WHO
treatment guidelines is being reviewed and strengthened.
2) We have also made an analysis of the link between WHO treatment
guidelines and the WHO Model List, which was revised and updated in
November 1999 (the new version is available on the WHO medicines
website). About 260 of the approximately 300 active substances on
the 11th Model List are included in one of these treatment guidelines,
or on smaller essential drugs lists (such as the New Emergency Health
Kit). On the other hand, there are also a number of drugs mentioned in
different treatment guidelines which are not on the Model List. We are
in the process of analyzing this.
3) At the last meeting of the Expert Committee on Essential Drugs it
was agreed that the process of developing and updating the Model
List should also be revised, strengthening the link with evidence-based
treatment guidelines and cost-effectiveness analysis. Several other
practical recommendations were made regarding the submissions,
review process, transparent decision making, reporting, and
declarations of conflict of interest by committee members. The new
procedures should be in place before the next revision of the Model
List.
4) Work on the WHO Model Formulary is also nearing its completion.
Standard formulary information will then be available for all drugs of
the Model List. It is hoped that it will be issued in the second half of
this year, in hard copy. It will also be made available in electronic form
so that it can used as the basis for a national or hospital formulary.
5) WHO/EDM maintains a database of all national treatment guidelines
and essential drugs lists; the most recent print-out of the database is
available as document WHO/DAP/95.7 Therapeutic Information: a
global overview. Updates of this document are published in every
Essential Drugs Monitor.
Hans V. Hogerzeil MD, PhD, FRCP (Edin)
Coordinator for Policy, Access and Rational Use
Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy
World Health Organization, 1211 Geneva 27
fax 41-22-7914167
e-mail: hogerzeilh@who.ch
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