The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (a.k.a. Essential Medicines List or EML), published by the World Health Organization (WHO), contains the medications considered to be most effective and safe to meet the most important needs in a health system. The list is frequently used by countries to help develop their own local lists of essential medicines. , more than 155 countries have created national lists of essential medicines based on the World Health Organization's model list. This includes both developed and developing countries.
The list is divided into core items and complementary items. 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. The complementary items either require additional infrastructure such as specially trained health care providers or diagnostic equipment or have a lower benefit–cost ratio. About 25% of items are in the complementary list. Some medications are listed as both core and complementary. While most medications on the list are available as generic products, being under patent does not prevent inclusion.
The first list was published in 1977 and included 208 medications. The WHO updates the list every two years. There are 306 medications in the 14th list in 2005, 410 in the 19th list in 2015, 433 in the 20th list in 2017, 460 in the 21st list in 2019, and 479 in the 22nd list in 2021. Various national lists contain between 334 and 580 medications. The Essential Medicines List (EML) was updated in September 2025 to its 24th edition. The list contains recommendations for 523 medications.
A separate list for children up to twelve years of age, known as the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc), was created in 2007, and is in its 10th edition. It was created to make sure that the needs of children were systematically considered such as availability of proper formulations. Everything in the children's list is also included in the main list. The list and notes are based on the 19th to 24th edition of the main list. Therapeutic alternatives with similar clinical performance are listed for some medicines and they may be considered for national essential medicines lists. The 10th Essential Medicines List for Children was updated in September 2025.
Note: An α indicates a medicine is on the complementary list.
Anaesthetics, preoperative medicines and medical gases General anaesthetics and oxygen Inhalational medicines Isoflurane Nitrous oxidePiped nitrous oxide is a major source of atmospheric pollution from healthcare facilities. Point-of-care cylinders are the preferred delivery system over centrally-supplied (piped) delivery systems Oxygen Sevoflurane
Injectable medicines Ketamine PropofolThiopental is an alternative
Local anaesthetics Bupivacaine Lidocaine Lidocaine/epinephrine (lidocaine + epinephrine (adrenaline))
Complementary: EphedrineFor use in spinal anaesthesia during delivery, to prevent hypotension
Preoperative medication and sedation for short-term procedures Atropine Midazolam Morphine
Medical gases OxygenNo more than 30% oxygen should be used to initiate resuscitation of neonates less than or equal to 32 weeks of gestation
Medicines for pain and palliative care
Non-opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIMs)
Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) IbuprofenNot in children less than three months Paracetamol (acetaminophen)Not recommended for anti‐inflammatory use due to lack of proven benefit to that effect
Opioid analgesics Codeine FentanylFor the management of cancer pain MorphineHydromorphone and oxycodone are alternatives
Complementary: MethadoneFor the management of cancer pain
Medicines for other common symptoms in palliative care Amitriptyline Cyclizine Dexamethasone Diazepam Docusate sodium Fluoxetine Haloperidol Hyoscine butylbromide Hyoscine hydrobromide Lactulose Loperamide Metoclopramide MidazolamMay be used for buccal administration when solution for oromucosal administration is not available OndansetronDolasetron, granisetron, palonosetron, and tropisetron are alternatives Senna
Antiallergics and medicines used in anaphylaxis Dexamethasone Epinephrine (adrenaline) Hydrocortisone LoratadineCetirizine and fexofenadine are alternatives PrednisolonePrednisone is an alternative
Antidotes and other substances used in poisonings
Non-specific Charcoal, activatedAlternative formulations of activated charcoal may be used if granules are not available
Specific Acetylcysteine Atropine Calcium gluconate Methylthioninium chloride (methylene blue) Naloxone Penicillamine Potassium ferric hexacyano-ferrate(II) -2H2O (prussian blue) Sodium nitrite Sodium thiosulfate
Complementary: Deferoxamine Dimercaprol Fomepizole Sodium calcium edetate Succimer
Medicines for neurological disorders
Medicines for central nervous system disorders
Antiseizure medicines Carbamazepine Diazepam LamotrigineFor use as adjunctive therapy for treatment-resistant partial or generalized seizures Levetiracetam LorazepamDiazepam (injection) and midazolam (injection) are alternatives Magnesium sulfateFor use in eclampsia and severe pre‐eclampsia and not for other convulsant disorders Midazolam Phenobarbital PhenytoinThe presence of both 25 mg/5 mL and 30 mg/5 mL strengths on the same market would cause confusion in prescribing and dispensing and should be avoided Valproic acid (sodium valproate)Valproic acid (sodium valproate) is not recommended in women and girls of childbearing potential owing to the high risk of birth defects and neurodevelopmental disorders in children exposed to valproic acid (sodium valproate) in the womb
Complementary: Ethosuximide Levetiracetam Valproic acid (sodium valproate)
Medicines for multiple sclerosis Complementary: Cladribine Glatiramer acetate Rituximab
Medicines for parkinsonism BiperidenTrihexyphenidyl is an alternative Levodopa/carbidopa (levodopa + carbidopa)Benserazide is an alternative for carbidopa
Medicines for cerebral palsy Baclofen
Medicines for headache disorders
Medicines for acute migraine attacks Acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) IbuprofenNaproxen is an alternative Paracetamol (acetaminophen)The presence of both 120 mg/5 mL and 125 mg/5mL strengths on the same market would cause confusion in prescribing and dispensing and should be avoided SumatriptanEletriptan is an alternative
Medicines for migraine prophylaxis Propranolol
Medicines for cluster headache Prednisolone Sumatriptan Verapamil
Medicines for central nervous system infections
Medicines for bacterial central nervous system infections Amoxicillin Ampicillin Benzylpenicillin CefotaximeThird-generation cephalosporin of choice for use in hospitalized neonates CeftriaxoneDo not administer with calcium and avoid in infants with hyperbilirubinemia> 41 weeks corrected gestational age ChloramphenicolOnly for the presumptive treatment of epidemic meningitis in children older than two years Gentamicin
Complementary: Meropenem> three months
Medicines for viral central nervous system infections AciclovirOral valaciclovir is an alternative
Medicines for peripheral nervous system disorders
Medicines for Guillain-Barré syndrome
Complementary: Normal immunoglobulin
Medicines for myasthenia gravis Neostigmine
Complementary: Pyridostigmine
Anti-infective medicines
Anthelminthics
Intestinal anthelminthics
Albendazole Ivermectin Levamisole Mebendazole Niclosamide Praziquantel Pyrantel
Antifilarials Albendazole Diethylcarbamazine IvermectinMoxidectin is an alternative
Antischistosomals and other antinematode medicines PraziquantelArpraziquantel is an alternative Triclabendazole
Complementary: OxamniquineOxamniquine is listed for use when praziquantel treatment fails
Cysticidal medicines
Complementary: Albendazole Mebendazole Praziquantel
Antibacterials
Access group antibiotics This group includes antibiotics that have activity against a wide range of commonly encountered susceptible pathogens while also showing lower resistance potential than antibiotics in the other groups. Amikacin Amoxicillin Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid) Ampicillin Benzathine benzylpenicillin Benzylpenicillin Cefalexin Cefazolin> one month ChloramphenicolOnly for the presumptive treatment of epidemic meningitis in children older than two years and in adults Clindamycin CloxacillinAlternatives are 4th level ATC chemical subgroup (J01CF Beta-lactamase resistant penicillins)Cloxacillin, dicloxacillin, and flucloxacillin are preferred for oral administration due to better bioavailability DoxycyclineUse in children <8 years only for life-threatening infections when no alternative exists Gentamicin Metronidazole Nitrofurantoin Phenoxymethylpenicillin (penicillin V) Procaine benzylpenicillinProcaine 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 Spectinomycin Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim (sulfamethoxazole + trimethoprim) Trimethoprim
Watch group antibiotics This group includes antibiotic classes that have higher resistance potential and includes most of the highest priority agents among the Critically Important Antimicrobials for Human Medicine and/or antibiotics that are at relatively high risk of selection of bacterial resistance. Azithromycin Cefixime CefotaximeThird-generation cephalosporin of choice for use in hospitalized neonates Ceftriaxone Cefuroxime Ciprofloxacin ClarithromycinErythromycin is an alternative as second choice treatment for pharyngitis in children (EMLc only)For use in combination regimens for eradication of H. pylori in adults Piperacillin/tazobactam (piperacillin + tazobactam) VancomycinVancomycin powder for injection may also be used for oral administration
Complementary: Ceftazidime MeropenemImipenem/cilastatin is an alternative for complicated intraabdominal infections and high-risk febrile neutropenia only. Meropenem is the preferred choice for acute bacterial meningitis in neonates Vancomycin
Reserve group antibiotics This group includes antibiotics and antibiotic classes that should be reserved for treatment of confirmed or suspected infections due to multi-drug-resistant organisms. Complementary: Cefiderocol Ceftazidime/avibactam (ceftazidime + avibactam) Ceftolozane/tazobactam (ceftolozane + tazobactam) Colistin Fosfomycin LinezolidTedizolid phosphate is an alternative Meropenem/vaborbactam (meropenem + vaborbactam) Plazomicin Polymyxin B
Antileprosy medicines Clofazimine Dapsone Rifampicin
Antituberculosis medicines
Amikacin Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid (amoxicillin + clavulanic acid)For use only in combination with meropenem or imipenem/cilastatin Bedaquiline Clofazimine CycloserineTerizidone is an alternative Delamanid Ethambutol Ethambutol/isoniazid/pyrazinamide/rifampicin (ethambutol + isoniazid + pyrazinamide + rifampicin) Ethambutol/isoniazid/rifampicin (ethambutol + isoniazid + rifampicin) EthionamideProthionamide is an alternative for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis Isoniazid Isoniazid/pyrazinamide/rifampicin (isoniazid + pyrazinamide + rifampicin) Isoniazid/rifampicin (isoniazid + rifampicin) Isoniazid/rifapentine (isoniazid + rifapentine) Levofloxacin Linezolid MeropenemImipenem/cilastatin is an alternative Moxifloxacin P-aminosalicylic acid (p-aminosalicylate sodium) Pretomanid Pyrazinamide Rifabutin Rifampicin Rifapentine Streptomycin
Antifungal medicines Amphotericin B Clotrimazole Fluconazole Flucytosine Griseofulvin