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 9th edition as of 2023[update].[4][5][6][7]
Note: An α indicates a medicine is on the complementary list.[4]
Avoid 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.
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.
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.
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.
World 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 (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 (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 (2023). The selection and use of essential medicines 2023: web annex B: World Health Organization model list of essential medicines for children: 9th list (2023). Geneva: World Health Organization. hdl:10665/371091. WHO/MHP/HPS/EML/2023.03.
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.