The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children (aka Essential Medicines List for Children[1] or EMLc[1]), published by the
World Health Organization (WHO), contains the medications considered to be most effective and safe in children up to twelve years of age to meet the most important needs in a
health system.[2][3]
The list is divided into core items and complementary items.[4] The core items are deemed to be the most
cost-effective options for key health problems and are usable with little additional health care resources.[4] The complementary items either require additional infrastructure such as specially trained
health care providers or
diagnostic equipment or have a lower
cost–benefit ratio.[4]
The first list for children was created in 2007, and the list is in its 8th edition as of 2021[update].[5][4][6]
Note: An
α indicates a medicine is on the complementary list.[4]
Anaesthetics, preoperative medicines and medical gases
^For buccal administration when solution for oromucosal administration is not available.
^The presence of both 25 mg/5 mL and 30 mg/5 mL strengths on the same market would cause confusion in prescribing and dispensing and should be avoided.
^
abAvoid use in pregnancy and in women and girls of child-bearing potential, unless alternative treatments are ineffective or not tolerated because of the high risk of birth defects and developmental disorders in children exposed to valproate in the womb.
^Oxamniquine is listed for use when praziquantel treatment fails.
^Only for the presumptive treatment of epidemic meningitis in children older than two years and in adults.
^Alternatives limited to 4th level ATC chemical subgroup (J01CF Beta-lactamase resistant penicillins)
^cloxacillin, dicloxacillin and flucloxacillin are preferred for oral administration due to better bioavailability.
^Use in children <8 years only for life-threatening infections when no alternative exists.
^Procaine benzylpenicillin is not recommended as first-line treatment for neonatal sepsis except in settings with high neonatal mortality, when given by trained health workers in cases where hospital care is not achievable.
^Third-generation cephalosporin of choice for use in hospitalized neonates.
^Do not administer with calcium and avoid in infants with hyperbilirubinemia.
^Imipenem/cilastatin is an alternative for complicated intraabdominal infections and high-risk febrile neutropenia only, except for acute bacterial meningitis in neonates, where meropenem is preferred
^For treatment of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis, acute invasive aspergillosis, histoplasmosis, sporotrichosis, paracoccidiodomycosis, mycoses caused by T. marneffei and chromoblastomycosis; and prophylaxis of histoplasmosis and infections caused by T. marneffei in AIDS patients.
^For treatment of chronic pulmonary aspergillosis and acute invasive aspergillosis.
^World Health Organization (2021). The selection and use of essential medicines: report of the WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines, 2021 (including the 22nd WHO model list of essential medicines and the 8th WHO model list of essential medicines for children). Geneva: World Health Organization.
hdl:10665/351172.
ISBN9789240041141. WHO technical report series;1035. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.
^
abcdeWorld Health Organization (2019). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines for children: 7th list 2019. Geneva.
hdl:10665/325772. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.07. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link)
^World Health Organization (2021). World Health Organization model list of essential medicines for children: 8th list (2021). Geneva: World Health Organization.
hdl:10665/345534. WHO/MHP/HPS/EML/2021.03.
^World Health Organization (2019). Executive summary: the selection and use of essential medicines 2019: report of the 22nd WHO Expert Committee on the selection and use of essential medicines. Geneva.
hdl:10665/325773. WHO/MVP/EMP/IAU/2019.05. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO.{{
cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (
link)
World Health Organization (2015). The selection and use of essential medicines. Twentieth report of the WHO Expert Committee 2015 (including 19th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and 5th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children). Geneva: World Health Organization.
hdl:10665/189763.
ISBN9789240694941.
ISSN0512-3054. WHO technical report series; no. 994.
World Health Organization (2017). The selection and use of essential medicines: report of the WHO Expert Committee, 2017 (including the 20th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and the 6th Model List of Essential Medicines for Children). Geneva: World Health Organization.
hdl:10665/259481.
ISBN978-92-4-121015-7.
ISSN0512-3054. WHO technical report series; no. 1006.
World Health Organization (2019). The selection and use of essential medicines: report of the WHO Expert Committee on Selection and Use of Essential Medicines, 2019 (including the 21st WHO Model List of Essential Medicines and the 7th WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children). Geneva: World Health Organization.
hdl:10665/330668.
ISBN9789241210300.
ISSN0512-3054. WHO technical report series;1021.