WHO Guidance Wins for People with Albinism and Diabetes
- In a landmark decision, the World Health Organization (WHO) has added various formulations of sunscreen to its Model List of Essential Medicines. This inclusion recognizes the growing understanding...
- According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 14 million new cases of skin cancer occur globally each year.
- The updated list also includes rapid-acting insulin analogues, a crucial step toward improving the availability and accessibility of these life-saving drugs for millions of people with diabetes worldwide.
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WHO Updates Essential Medicines List, Prioritizing Sunscreen and Insulin Access
Table of Contents
Published September 11, 2024, at 23:32 UTC
WHO Adds Sunscreen to Essential Medicines List
In a landmark decision, the World Health Organization (WHO) has added various formulations of sunscreen to its Model List of Essential Medicines. This inclusion recognizes the growing understanding of the link between ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure and skin cancer, as well as othre skin conditions. The WHO Expert Committee on the Selection and Use of Essential Medicines acknowledged both the public health importance of sunscreen and the need for a clear therapeutic standard for its use. This decision is expected to encourage wider availability and affordability of sunscreens globally.
Skin cancer is a important public health concern worldwide. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 14 million new cases of skin cancer occur globally each year.
Improved Access to Insulin for Diabetes Patients
The updated list also includes rapid-acting insulin analogues, a crucial step toward improving the availability and accessibility of these life-saving drugs for millions of people with diabetes worldwide. These analogues offer more flexible mealtime insulin dosing, improving quality of life and glycemic control.
The inclusion of rapid-acting insulin is notably significant given ongoing concerns about insulin affordability and access, especially in the United States. In April 2022, Human Rights Watch documented how the US government’s insufficient regulation of insulin prices undermined the human rights of people with Type 1 Diabetes.
Patient advocacy groups, such as T1International, have long campaigned for the inclusion of these drugs on the WHO’s essential medicines list. Their efforts have resulted in the updated list recommending that all governments ensure these drugs are available ”at prices individuals and health systems can afford.”
Legal Obligations and Government Responsibilities
Governments that are parties to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights have a “core obligation” to ensure minimum essential levels of primary health care. This obligation is widely interpreted as requiring governments to provide drugs listed as essential by the WHO to people within their jurisdiction. The WHO Essential Medicines List serves as a benchmark for national health policies.
The crucial task now is ensuring that governments fulfill these obligations. This includes not only making the medicines available but also ensuring they are affordable and accessible to all who need them.