Essential medicines are intended to be available in functioning health systems at all times, in appropriate dosage forms, of assured quality, and at prices individuals and the community can afford. Selection of a limited number of essential medicines, taking into consideration national disease burden and clinical need, can lead to improved access through streamlined procurement and distribution of quality-assured medicines, support more rational or appropriate prescribing and use, and lower costs both for health-care systems and for patients.
This section of the Toolkit provides information about the selection, pricing and reimbursement of essential medicines and why their availability and affordability is important for functioning health systems, while preventing their diversion as well as the WHO guidelines on pharmaceutical pricing policies and the most recent WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines.