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The World Health Organization's list of medicines every health system should provide, which now includes about 60 cancer drugs from cyclophosphamide and cisplatin to trastuzumab, imatinib and PD-1 inhibitors, guiding procurement and pricing in lower-income countries.
The Essential Medicines List (EML, since 1977) added a systematic cancer section in 2015 (16 new medicines including trastuzumab, rituximab, imatinib), and subsequent revisions (2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) added targeted agents and, in 2023-25, PD-1 inhibitors (pembrolizumab, nivolumab, and biosimilars/generics of TKIs), CDK4/6 inhibitors (2025 for breast cancer), enzalutamide, and paediatric formulations; some high-cost agents (e.g. some ADCs) were declined on cost-effectiveness grounds. Listing is a signal to governments, procurement agencies (UNICEF, Global Fund models) and generic manufacturers, and underpins efforts like the Access to Oncology Medicines Coalition. The children's EML (EMLc) covers paediatric protocols; the WHO Model Formulary and prequalification of biosimilars (trastuzumab, rituximab 2019-20) support access.
Shares Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries and the tag policy.
Shares Novartis v. Union of India (Glivec, 2013), TRIPS Agreement and the Doha Declaration, Nexavar compulsory licence (India, 2012), Biosimilar.
Shares Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries, Pembrolizumab and the tag global.
Shares Novartis v. Union of India (Glivec, 2013), TRIPS Agreement and the Doha Declaration, Nexavar compulsory licence (India, 2012), Biosimilar.
Shares Voluntary licences and price caps for patented cancer drugs in low-income countries, World Health Organization Cancer Programme, Imatinib, Trastuzumab.
Shares Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries and the tag global.
Shares Novartis v. Union of India (Glivec, 2013), Nexavar compulsory licence (India, 2012), Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries.
Shares Global oncology and access in low- and middle-income countries and the tag global.