Community Medicine
Essential Medicine
Community medicine essential medicines for MBBS: the essential medicines concept, selection criteria, National List of Essential Medicines, rational drug use and counterfeit medicines, mapped to NMC codes CM19.1 to CM19.3.
MedNext Academy | 3 min read
Essential Medicine
Community medicine essential medicines for MBBS: the essential medicines concept, selection criteria, National List of Essential Medicines, rational drug use and counterfeit medicines, mapped to NMC codes CM19.1 to CM19.3.
This chapter covers the concept of essential medicines introduced by the World Health Organization and their role in rational, affordable health care. It explains the criteria for selection, the National List of Essential Medicines, and the problem of counterfeit medicines and how it can be prevented.
High-yield: Essential Medicine
- Essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population and should always be available.
- The concept of essential medicines was introduced by the World Health Organization in 1977 to promote rational drug use.
- Medicines are selected for the essential list based on disease prevalence, efficacy, safety and comparative cost-effectiveness.
- The National List of Essential Medicines guides procurement and rational prescribing in India and is revised periodically.
- Essential medicines should be available in adequate amounts, in appropriate dosage forms and at a price people can afford.
- Rational use of medicines means patients receive the right drug, in the right dose, for the right duration, at the least cost.
- The essential drugs list improves affordability, availability and quality of care, especially at the primary level.
- Generic prescribing by the essential list reduces cost without compromising quality.
- Counterfeit or spurious medicines are deliberately mislabelled with respect to identity or source.
- Counterfeit medicines endanger patients through wrong ingredients, wrong doses or no active ingredient at all.
- Good manufacturing practices and drug regulation help prevent counterfeit and substandard medicines.
- The Drugs and Cosmetics Act regulates the manufacture, sale and quality of drugs in India.
- Pharmacovigilance monitors adverse drug reactions to protect patient safety.
- Essential medicines are a core component of primary health care as defined at Alma-Ata.
Essential medicines essentials
- **Definition:** Medicines that satisfy the priority health needs of the population and should always be available and affordable.
- **Selection criteria:** Disease prevalence, proven efficacy, safety and comparative cost-effectiveness.
- **Rational use:** Right drug, right dose, right duration and least cost, using generic names.
- **Counterfeit medicines:** Deliberately mislabelled as to identity or source; may contain wrong, absent or harmful ingredients.
NMC competencies in this chapter
- **CM19.1:** Concept of the Essential Medicine List
- **CM19.2:** Role of essential medicines in primary health care
- **CM19.3:** Counterfeit medicine and its prevention
Frequently Asked Questions
What are essential medicines?
Essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of the population, selected for their proven efficacy, safety and cost-effectiveness, and intended to be available at all times in adequate amounts and at an affordable price.
How are medicines chosen for the essential list?
Selection is based on the prevalence and public health relevance of the disease, sound evidence of efficacy and safety, and comparative cost-effectiveness, so that limited resources are used to greatest benefit.
What is rational use of medicines?
Rational use means that patients receive the appropriate medicine for their clinical need, in the correct dose, for an adequate period and at the lowest cost to them and the community, usually by prescribing generics from the essential list.
Why are counterfeit medicines dangerous?
Counterfeit medicines are deliberately mislabelled about their identity or source and may contain the wrong ingredient, an incorrect dose or no active ingredient at all, leading to treatment failure, toxicity and drug resistance.
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