million people a year. History The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines has been updated every two years since 1977. The 21st version was published in April 2019. Children's list The first edition of the "WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children", was published in 2007, while the 7th edition was published in 2019. It was created to make sure that the needs of children were systematically considered such as availability of proper formulations. The first edition contained 450 formulations of 200 different medications. Number of medications The number of medications has nearly doubled, from the original 208 in 1977, to more than 340. The range has increased over the years and now includes an antimigraine drug, antidotes, and antineoplastic drugs. The third list for children from 2011, contains 269 medications. Society and culture Access to essential medicines are part of the Sustainable Development Goals, specifically goal 3.8. A number of organizations, which are global in scope, use the list to determine which medications they will supply. See also Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines Universities Allied for Essential Medicines Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines List of World Health Organization Essential Medicines References Pharmacy