New Essential Medicines And Diagnostics Lists
                     NEW ESSENTIAL MEDICINES 
AND 
DIAGNOSTICS LIST
INTRODUCTION
WHO (World health organization) recently 
updates worldwide guidance on medicines and 
diagnostic tests
 New essential medicines and diagnostics list is 
helpful to prioritize critical health products which 
are widely obtainable and inexpensive throughout 
health systems.
 More than 150 countries all over the world use 
WHO’s Essential Medicines and diagnostics list
FACTS
WHO published the first List 
of Essential Diagnostics in 
2018.
 2018’s list was concentrating 
on a limited number of priority 
diseases like HIV, malaria, 
tuberculosis, and hepatitis. 
apps.who.int
2019’s list has expanded to 
add more communicable and 
non-communicable diseases.
DIAGNOSTICS LIST
WHO added several tests for 
different diseases.
  The diagnostic list includes-
1. Cancer diagnostics
2. Infectious diseases diagnostics
3. Other general tests
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1. CANCERS
WHO included 12 tests to the 
Diagnostics List.
It is added to detect a wide range 
of solid tumors like colorectal, 
liver, cervical, prostate, breast and 
germ cell cancers.
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Also added tests for leukemia and 
lymphomas. 
WHO also added anatomical 
pathology testing.
WHO notify that this service must 
be made offered in specialized 
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laboratories.
2. INFECTIOUS DISEASES
2019’s list targeted the 
infectious diseases which are 
common in countries with low 
& middle income.
It added cholera, and neglected 
diseases such as leishmaniasis, 
schistosomiasis, dengue, and 
zika.
For the welfare of  community 
123rf.com health settings where no 
laboratories are available WHO 
added a new section for 
influenza testing. 
3. GENERAL TESTS
1. Iron test for anemia.
2. Test for thyroid 
malfunction.
3. Test for sickle cell.
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MEDICINE LIST
WHO released the essential 
medicine list of 2019 
The essential medicine list 
includes 51 new medicines.
Now the list has a total of 460 
medicines.
The focus of the essential 
medicine list is to provide a 
cost-effective option to meet 
the basic and most pressing pngall.com
public health needs.
MEDICINE LIST
The essential list includes the 
most advanced drugs for cancer 
treatments.
Drugs are affordable.
WHO considered the health 
situations and ability of 
medical expenses of low and 
medium earning countries.
MEDICINE LIST
The 51 newly added essential 
medicines include 23 medicines for 
children and 28 medicines for 
adults.
WHO also added several 
antibiotics in the list including oral 
unsplash.com anticoagulants.