WHO Model Lists of Essential Medicines, 18th edition

Section 2. The 19th Meeting of the WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines took place in Geneva, Switzerland from 8 to 12 April 2013. Renamed the section 2 of the List of Essential medicines to Medicines for Pain and Palliative Care to emphasize the importance of the medicines used in palliative care. The Committee recognized the importance of palliative care not only in cancer but also in HIV/AIDS, MDR TB and severe congenital diseases. Therefore it moved these medicines from Section 8 (Antineoplastic, Immunosuppressives and Medicines used in Palliative Care) to Section 2 in both the EML and EMLc. Medicines needed for the treatment of other common symptoms in palliative care such as anorexia, nausea, constipation and diarrhoea were also included in Section 2.