Information Sources

World Health Organization Model Formulary

In its efforts to promote safe and cost-effective use of medicines, the World Health Organization (WHO) released the first edition of the WHO Model Formulary. The formulary is the first ever publication to give comprehensive information on all 325 medicines contained in the WHO Model List of Essential Drugs. It presents information on the recommended use, dosage, adverse effects, contra-indications and warnings of these medicines. Correct use of this tool will improve patient safety and limit superfluous medical spending.

The new formulary is primarily intended as a model for national governments and institutions, to be used as a basis for developing their own national formularies. It is particularly relevant for developing countries, where commercial and promotional materials are often the only available source of drug information to health workers, prescribers and patients. The WHO formulary may also be useful for individual prescribers - and for this reason it is available at reduced cost for developing countries.

The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines, recently updated to include 12 essential antiretroviral medicines for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, is compiled to focus pharmaceutical efforts on priority conditions and quality medicines that are the most cost-effective and safe, and as affordable as possible. For instance, the vast majority of medicines contained in the WHO Model List are well-known and well-established pharmaceuticals which are off patent and available from many sources.

For the WHO Model Formulary, go to:
http://www.who.int/medicines