Countries use the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines as a model/guide for the development and updating of national essential medicines lists. This guide provides a practical resource to support countries in this process.

The key steps outlined in this resource include: a committee process for selecting medicines for a national essential medicines list; guiding principles for evidence-based evaluation and selection of essential medicines; relationship with treatment guidelines; applying the model list’s square box concept to selection at national level to support procurement strategies; monitoring utilization and expenditure on essential medicines.