woefully inadequate and patients leave with little or no understanding of how to take medicines which may have cost them at least one week's earnings. Medicines are often out of stock, not just for a few hours but for days or even weeks, particularly at the end of the financial year. Protocols and standard operating procedures are rarely found. Even when graduate pharmacists are employed, they often have little opportunity to perform above the level of salesperson, simply issuing medicines and collecting payment. For example, several hospital pharmacies in Mumbai, India, are open 24 hours per day for 365 days per year but only to function as retail outlets selling medicines to outpatients or to relatives of inpatients who then hand over the medicines to the nursing staff for administration. Conclusions Evidence is as important in the developing world as it is in the developed world. Poverty comes in many forms. While the most noticed are famine and poor housing, both potent killers, medical and knowledge poverty are also significant. Evidence-based practice is one of the ways in which these problems can be minimized. Potentially, one of the greatest benefits of the internet is the possibility of ending knowledge poverty and in turn influencing the factors that undermine wellbeing. Essential drugs programs have been a major step in ensuring that the maximum number benefit from effective drug therapy for disease. See also Essential medicines WHO Model List of Essential Medicines Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Campaign for Access to Essential Medicines Evidence-based practice Universities Allied for Essential Medicines References Useful sources of information The following is a list of useful publications from the WHO Department of Essential Drugs and Medicines Policy about essential drugs programs. General publications Essential Drugs Monitor - periodical issued twice a year, covering drug policy, research, rational drug use and recent publications. WHO Action Programme on Essential Drugs in the South-East Asia Region - report on an Intercountry Consultative Meeting, New Delhi, 4–8 March 1991. 49 pages, ref no SEA/Drugs/83 Rev.1. National drug policy Report of the WHO Expert Committee on National Drug Policies - contribution to updating the WHO Guidelines for Developing Drug Policies. Geneva. 19–23 June 1995. 78 pages, ref no WHO/DAP/95.9. Guidelines for Developing National Drug Policies - 1988, 52 pages, . Indicators for Monitoring National Drug Policies - P Brudon-Jakobowicz, JD Rainhorn, MR Reich, 1994, 205 pages, order no 1930066. Selection