The World Health Organization prioritizes access to diabetes and cancer treatment in the new list of essential drugs

Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new edition of a pediatric model for new cancers, new insulin analogues and new oral medications for diabetes, new drugs and new antimicrobials to help people who want to quit smoking, and new medicines needed for children. To treat severe bacterial and fungal infections.

The details are to address global health priorities, identify the drugs that offer the greatest benefits, and identify the drugs that are available and affordable to all. However, for both new, proprietary drugs and old medicines, some essential drugs, such as insulin, continue to be inaccessible to many patients.

“Diabetes is on the rise worldwide and is growing rapidly in low- and middle-income countries,” said Dr. Tedros Adhanom Gebre-Jesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “People who need insulin have a hard time finding it, or they may die without it. Combined efforts to ensure access to all insulin products and to expand the use of biosimilators, including insulin analogues, are essential to ensure that this life-saving product is available.

Medications for diabetes

Insulin was invented 100 years ago to treat diabetes and human insulin is on the World Health Organization’s list since it was first published in 1977. Unfortunately, in many low- and middle-income countries, limited insulin supply and high prices are currently a significant barrier to treatment. In the Ghanaian capital, Accra, for example, the amount of insulin needed for a month is a reasonable price per worker 5.5 days salary per month. Insulin production is concentrated in small-scale manufacturing facilities, with three manufacturers controlling most of the world market, and lack of competition has resulted in high prices for many people and health systems.

The move to list long-term insulin analogues (insulin degludec, detemir and glargine) and their biocimples with human insulin is intended to increase access to diabetes by expanding treatment options. Included in the list means that biosmilar insulin analogs may be eligible for the WHO pre-certification program. The World Health Organization’s pre-qualification can bring more certified biosimilators into the global market, creating competition for lower prices and giving countries more product choices.

Long-acting insulin analogues offer patients additional clinical benefits, ensuring that blood glucose can be controlled over a longer period of time without the need for high blood pressure. They offer special benefits to patients with dangerously low glucose levels of human insulin. Flexibility of insulin analogues over time and medication has improved the quality of life for patients with diabetes. However, human insulin remains a key component in diabetes treatment and access to this life-saving drug should continue to be supported by better availability and affordability.

The list also includes sodium-glucose co-carrier-2 (SGLT2) inhibitors empagliflozin, canagliflozin and dapagliflozin as a second line treatment for adults with type 2 diabetes. These oral medications have been shown to have a number of benefits, including lower risk of death, kidney failure, and cardiovascular events. Because SGLT2 restorations are still patented and costly, their inclusion comes with recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO). Pharmaceutical patent pool To increase access to potential licensing agreements with patent holders to allow general production and supply in low- and middle-income countries.

Improving access to diabetes medications, including insulin and SGLT2 inhibitors, is one of the key issues discussed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in April 2021 and is being discussed with sugar drug manufacturers and health technology manufacturers.

Cancer drugs

Cancers A.D. Nearly 10 million people will die of disease and death worldwide by 2020, with seven out of 10 in low- and middle-income countries. New discoveries have been made in cancer treatment over the years, such as drugs that target specific molecular traits, such as tumors, some of which provide better results for many types of cancer than “traditional” chemotherapy. Four new drugs for cancer treatment have been added to the model list:

• Enzalutamide, as an alternative to acetaminophen, for prostate cancer;
• Eurolimos, for subependymal giant cell astrocytoma (SEGA), a type of brain tumor in children;
• Ibuprofen, a drug intended for chronic lymphocytic leukemia; And
• Serious problems with some cancer treatments, Rasburicase.

A list of immunoglobulins has been developed to include targeted leukemia treatment. New drugs for childhood cancer have been added to the 16 drugs listed above, including the most common type of brain tumor in children, including low-grade glaucoma.

Although a group of antibodies that improve the immune response to cancer cells, called PD-1 / PD-L1, are not recommended for the treatment of many tuberculosis, primarily because they are so numerous. High costs and risks that are difficult to manage in low-cost health systems. Other cancer drugs are not recommended for low-risk settings due to the unproven additional clinical benefits compared to the previously listed drugs, high cost and administration issues. These include three types of treatment for lung cancer: osmotinib, darutumamba for multiple myeloma, and breast cancer (CDK 4/6 rehabilitation, fluoraster and pertussis).

Other developments

Infectious diseases – The new drugs listed include cefiderocol, Reserve group antibiotics, multi-drug resistant bacteria, serious fungal infections and anti-fungal monoclonal antibodies. Up-to-date details include new forms of medication for common bacterial infections, hepatitis C, HIV, and tuberculosis to better meet the size and management needs of both children and adults. An additional 81 antibiotics were assigned within the AWaRe framework to support antimicrobial control and antibiotic use around the world.

Quitting smoking -Two non-nicotine replacement drugs: bupropion and varenicline: Join nicotine replacement therapy on the model list by offering alternative treatment options for people who want to quit smoking. The list is intended to support the race to reach the World Health Organization (WHO). Promise to quitNext year, 100 million people worldwide will stop smoking.

Note to editors

The 23rd meeting^rd An expert committee on the selection and use of essential medicines was held from June 21 to July 2. The Expert Committee reviewed 88 applications to add to the 21^St World Health Organization Drug List (EML) and 7^Th World Health Organization (WHO) list of essential medicines for children (EMLc). The World Health Organization’s technical departments have been involved in and consulted on applications related to their disease areas.

Up-to-date prescriptions include 20 new medications for adults and 17 for children, as well as new uses for the 28 medications listed earlier. The changes recommended by the Expert Committee have brought the number of drugs needed to address the major public health needs to MML 479 and AMLC 350. While these numbers may seem overwhelming, they are only a small fraction of the total number of drugs on the market.

Governments and institutions around the world will continue to use the World Health Organization (WHO) model list to guide the development of their own important list of medicines, because they know that each drug is proven effective and safe and will cost money for its health effects.

Model details are updated every two years by a panel of experts from academia, research and medical and pharmacology. This year, the Committee emphasized the need for action in detail and related measures, such as voluntary licensing, total procurement and price negotiation, to increase equity and equitable access to drugs.