WHO adds NRT to “essential medicines’ list

The World Health Organization (WHO) has just added Nicotine Replacement Therapy (NRT, specifically nicotine gum and nicotine patches) to the 16th revision of its Core List of Essential Medicines. The core list presents a list of minimum medicine needs for a basic healthcare system, listing the most efficacious, safe and cost-effective medicines for priority conditions. Priority conditions are selected on the basis of current and estimated future public health relevance, and potential for safe and cost-effective treatment.

This is actually a big step in recognizing the public health benefit of this class of medicines, in helping prevent serious diseases by helping smokers to quit.

The full list can be found at the following link (number 24.5):
http://www.who.int/selection_medicines/committees/expert/17/WEB_unedited_16th_LIST.pdf