[e-drug] Abandoned essential medicines (5)

["Pablo Alcocer Vera" <palcocer@gmail.com>]

E-DRUG: Abandoned essential medicines (5)
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Dear all,

Before continuing creating a list of drugs, we should clarify the  
concept of "Essential Drug".

On my opinion "Essential Drug" concept should not be mixed or  
combined with "abandoned medicines".

"Abandoned medicines" is a concept more linked to "abandoned  
diseases" which are mostly affecting the poor in developing  
countries. The management of those diseases therefore is not  
profitable for the industry.

According to WHO "Essential medicines are those that satisfy the  
priority health care needs of the population". This is a Public  
Health concept. For example, treatment for rare diseases should not  
be included in a National Essential Drug List, even if a doctor  
consider it as "essential" for his/her work.

Let´s establish a criteria for any kind of list.

Kind regards

Pablo Alcocer-Vera
Pharmacist
Spain
Pablo Alcocer Vera <palcocer@gmail.com>

[Treatment options for rarer but important diseases can be included in National Essential Drugs LIsts, usually with a special caveat. BS Moderator]