These cancer-fighting drugs are now "essential drugs"
After reviewing 59 nominations, a committee of experts from the World Health Organization (WHO) added 35 new medicines to its general list of essential drugs .
Among the new drugs added are several used in cancer and diabetes treatments , which should now be available in all health systems and at affordable prices .
The general list now has 523 medicines , while the list of children's drugs now consists of 374 .
In the fight against cancer, the committee added to the list:
- Pembrolizumab (used as a therapy for cervical, colorectal, and lung cancer)
- Atezolizumab and cemiplimab (Alternatives to pembrolizumab)
On the other hand, experts recommended expanding access to PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitors, a class of immunotherapy drugs that help the body's immune system recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively.
For the fight against diabetes and obesity , the committee has included glucose-lowering therapies such as:
- Semaglutide
- Dulaglutide
- Liraglutide
- Tirzepatide
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) has reacted immediately to this inclusion, stressing that in many countries the high price of these diabetes drugs made them unaffordable for many patients.
" This is a fundamental milestone on the path toward greater accessibility to diabetes treatment. Countries must now seize this opportunity to promote national action and make these treatments available. ", stressed MSF's technical advisor on non-communicable diseases, Elizabeth Jarman.
Other new additions to the lists include drugs for the treatment of psoriasis, hemophilia and other blood disorders, and cystic fibrosis .
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