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ABSTRACT
Background: In 2018, China implemented the latest National Essential Medicines List (NEML) by enhancing the NEML 2012. The goal of our studies is to analyze the changes in the two lists and compared them with the 20th EML issued by WHO in 2017. And then provide suggestions for emerging problems.
Method: The overall composition of the categories, specific drugs, characteristics, advantages and disadvantages of the lists were compared by descriptive analysis. The neuropsychiatric disorders system medicines and patented medicines were analyzed to illustrate the changes of NEML.
Results: In 20th WHO-EML, the largest increase was the medicines used for children (13 to the core list and 12 to the complementary list). In 2018 NEML, rounding out the top were medicines used for cardiovascular system. Among the 120 new medicines, 30 new medicines were included in 2017 WHO-EML. Eleven patented medicines were new-added in NEML; however, 8 was not included in WHO-EML.
Conclusion: China has a large population, and the territorial development is uneven. Although the essence of EMLs is a limited list, NEML should enlarge the choices properly. 2018 NEML provides a comprehensive coverage of diseases. Some of the medicines, including high-priced medicines that were not recommended by WHO.
Article highlights
The overall composition of the categories, specific drugs, characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of the lists were compared by descriptive analysis.
Many efforts have been made to modernize the 2018 NEML in China, which was also developed using the WHO-EML as a basis.
In addition, 2018 NEML provides a more comprehensive coverage of diseases as well as reasonable varieties of drugs for their treatment, for example, some high-priced medicines were also included.
However, further improvements are still needed. The NEML should be formulated as evidence-based as possible. More effort on evidence-based research and more evidence for evidence-based medicine are needed.
Declaration of interest
The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript.
Peer reviewer disclosures
Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.
Author contributions
Bo Zhang was involved in the conception and design; Wei Zuo, Ziran Niu, Daihui Gao were involved in the analysis and interpretation of the data; Wei Zuo were involved in the drafting of the paper; Dan Mei, Xiaowan Tang and Weunjuan Sun were involved in revising it for intellectual content.
The authors declare no conflicts of interest. All the authors approve the final version to be published; and that all authors agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work.