Medicines

The World Medicines Situation Report

The third edition of the World Medicines Situation Report brings together new data on 24 key topics relating to pharmaceutical production and consumption, innovation, regulation and safety - in one place.

Topics include selection, procurement, supply management, rational use, financing and pricing. Cross-cutting chapters cover household medicines use, access and human rights, good governance, human resources and national medicines policies.

Each chapter of this report is written by a different author. Chapters are being published electronically, in batches. The new report updates the 1988 and 2004 reports.

  • Introduction
    Background on past and present efforts to document and improve sharing of information.

The chapters released until now

  • Pharmacovigilance and Safety of Medicines
    Provides up-to-date information about how medicine safety is assured in different regions of the world. Highlights the importance of networks and the role of WHO in coordinating activities.
  • Selection of Essential Medicines
    Describes how WHO develops the Model List of Essential Medicines and how 134 countries have developed national lists. Identifies challenges in selecting medicines in different situations.
  • Procurement of Medicines
    Identifies different methods of medicine procurement. Describes the major changes that have occurred for vaccines and medicines for TB, Malaria and HIV/AIDS.

Past World Medicines Situation reports

World med situation illustration

Medicines publications

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