WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children
The WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children, published by the World Health Organization, contains the medications considered to be most effective and safe in children up to twelve years of age to meet the most important needs in a health system.
The list is divided into core items and complementary items. The core items are deemed to be the most cost-effective options for key health problems and are usable with little additional health care resources. The complementary items either require additional infrastructure such as specially trained health care providers or diagnostic equipment or have a lower cost–benefit ratio.
The first list for children was created in 2007, and the list is in its 10th edition as of 2025.
Note: An α indicates a medicine is on the complementary list.
Anaesthetics, preoperative medicines and medical gases
General anaesthetics and oxygen
Inhalational medicines
Injectable medicines
Local anaesthetics
Preoperative medication and sedation for short-term procedures
Medical gases
Medicines for pain and palliative care
Non-opioids and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medicines (NSAIMs)
Opioid analgesics
Complementary:Medicines for other common symptoms in palliative care
- Amitriptyline
- Cyclizine
- Dexamethasone
- Diazepam
- Docusate sodium
- Hyoscine hydrobromide
- Lactulose
- Midazolam
- Ondansetron
- Senna
Antiallergics and medicines used in anaphylaxis
Antidotes and other substances used in poisonings
Non-specific
Specific
Complementary:Medicines for neurological disorders
Medicines for central nervous system disorders
Antiseizure medicines
- Carbamazepine
- Diazepam
- Lamotrigine
- Levetiracetam
- Lorazepam
- Magnesium sulfate
- Midazolam
- Phenobarbital
- Phenytoin
- Prednisolone
- Valproic acid
Medicines for multiple sclerosis
No listings in this section.Medicines for parkinsonism
No listings in this section.Medicines for cerebral palsy
Complementary:Medicines for headache disorders
Medicines for acute migraine attacks
- Ibuprofen
- Paracetamol
Medicines for migraine prophylaxis
- Propranolol
Medicines for cluster headache
Medicines for central nervous system infections
Medicines for bacterial central nervous system infections
Complementary:Medicines for peripheral nervous system disorders
Medicines for Guillain-Barré syndrome
Complementary:Medicines for myasthenia gravis
Complementary:Anti-infective medicines
Anthelminthics
Intestinal anthelminthics
Antifilarials
Antischistosomals and other antinematode medicines
Complementary:Cysticidal medicines
Complementary:Antibacterials
Access group antibiotics
- Amikacin
- Amoxicillin
- Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid
- Ampicillin
- Benzathine benzylpenicillin
- Benzylpenicillin
- Cefalexin
- Cefazolin
- Chloramphenicol
- Clindamycin
- Cloxacillin
- Doxycycline
- Gentamicin
- Metronidazole
- Nitrofurantoin
- Phenoxymethylpenicillin
- Procaine benzylpenicillin
- Sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim
- Trimethoprim
Watch group antibiotics
- Azithromycin
- Cefixime
- Cefotaxime
- Ceftriaxone
- Cefuroxime
- Ciprofloxacin
- Clarithromycin
- Piperacillin/tazobactam
- Vancomycin
Reserve group antibiotics
Complementary:Antileprosy medicines
Antituberculosis medicines
- Amikacin
- Amoxicillin/clavulanic acid
- Bedaquiline
- Clofazimine
- Cycloserine
- Delamanid
- Ethambutol
- Ethionamide
- Isoniazid
- Isoniazid/pyrazinamide/rifampicin
- Isoniazid/rifampicin
- Isoniazid/rifapentine
- Levofloxacin
- Linezolid
- Meropenem
- Moxifloxacin
- Moxifloxacin
- P-aminosalicylate sodium
- Pyrazinamide
- Rifampicin
- Rifapentine
- Streptomycin
Antifungal medicines
Complementary:Antiviral medicines
Antiherpes medicines
Antiretrovirals
Nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors
- Lamivudine
- Zidovudine
Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors
- Nevirapine
Protease inhibitors
- Darunavir
- Lopinavir/ritonavir
- Ritonavir
Integrase inhibitors
- Dolutegravir
- Raltegravir
Fixed-dose combinations of antiretroviral medicines
- Abacavir/dolutegravir/lamivudine
- Abacavir/lamivudine
- Lamivudine/zidovudine
Medicines for prevention of HIV-related opportunistic infections
- Isoniazid/pyridoxine/sulfamethoxazole/trimethoprim
Other antivirals
Complementary:Antihepatitis medicines
Medicines for hepatitis B
Nucleoside/Nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors
- Entecavir
Medicines for hepatitis C
Pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral combinations
- Daclatasvir
- Daclatasvir/sofosbuvir
- Glecaprevir/pibrentasvir
- Sofosbuvir
- Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir
Non-pangenotypic direct-acting antiviral combinations
Other antivirals for hepatitis C
No listings in this section.Antiprotozoal medicines
Antiamoebic and antigiardiasis medicines
Antileishmaniasis medicines
Antimalarial medicines
Medicines for curative treatment
- Artemether
- Artemether/lumefantrine
- Artesunate
- Artesunate/amodiaquine
- Artesunate/mefloquine
- Artesunate/pyronaridine tetraphosphate
- Artesunate + sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine
- Chloroquine
- Dihydroartemisinin/piperaquine phosphate
- Primaquine
- Quinine
Medicines for chemoprevention
- Amodiaquine + sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine
- Sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine
Medicines for chemoprophylaxis in travellers
- Chloroquine
- Doxycycline
- Mefloquine
Antipneumocystosis and antitoxoplasmosis medicines
Antitrypanosomal medicines
African trypanosomiasis
- Fexinidazole
Medicines for the treatment of 1st stage African trypanosomiasis
- Pentamidine
- Suramin sodium
Medicines for the treatment of 2nd stage African trypanosomiasis
- Eflornithine
- Nifurtimox
- Melarsoprol
American trypanosomiasis
- Benznidazole
- Nifurtimox
Medicines for ectoparasitic infections
Medicines for Ebola virus disease
Medicines for COVID-19
No listings in this section.Medicines for cystic fibrosis
Complementary:Immunomodulators and Antineoplastics
Immunomodulators for non-malignant disease
Complementary:Antineoplastic and supportive medicines
Cytotoxic medicines
Complementary:- Arsenic trioxide
- Asparaginase
- Bleomycin
- Calcium folinate
- Carboplatin
- Cisplatin
- Cyclophosphamide
- Cytarabine
- Dacarbazine
- Dactinomycin
- Daunorubicin
- Doxorubicin
- Doxorubicin
- Etoposide
- Fluorouracil
- Hydroxyurea
- Ifosfamide
- Irinotecan
- Mercaptopurine
- Methotrexate
- Oxaliplatin
- Paclitaxel
- Pegaspargase
- Procarbazine
- Realgar-Indigo naturalis formulation
- Tioguanine
- Vinblastine
- Vincristine
- Vinorelbine
Targeted therapies
Complementary:Immunomodulators
Complementary:Hormones and antihormones
Complementary:Supportive medicines
Complementary:Therapeutic foods
Medicines affecting the blood
Antianaemia medicines
Complementary:Medicines affecting coagulation
Complementary:Medicines for haemoglobinopathies
Medicines for sickle-cell disease
Complementary:Medicines for thalassaemias
Complementary:Blood products, coagulation factors and plasma substitutes
Blood and blood components
- Cryoprecipitate, pathogen-reduced
- Fresh frozen plasma
- Platelets
- Red blood cells
- Whole blood
Human immunoglobulins
Complementary:Coagulation factors
- Coagulation factor VIII, plasma-derived
- Coagulation factor IX, plasma-derived
- Coagulation factor VIII, recombinant
- Coagulation factor IX, recombinant
Plasma substitutes
Cardiovascular medicines
Antianginal medicines
No listings in this section.Antiarrhythmic medicines
No listings in this section.Antihypertensive medicines
Medicines used in heart failure
Complementary:Antithrombotic medicines
No listings in this section.Lipid-lowering agents
No listings in this section.Fixed-dose combinations for prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease
No listings in this section.Dermatological medicines
Antifungal medicines
Anti-infective medicines
Anti-inflammatory and antipruritic medicines
Medicines affecting skin differentiation and proliferation
Complementary:Scabicides and pediculicides
Moisturizers
Sunscreens, broad-spectrum
Diagnostic agents
Ophthalmic medicines
Radiocontrast media
Complementary:Antiseptics and disinfectants
Antiseptics
Disinfectants
Diuretics
Complementary:Gastrointestinal medicines
Complementary:Antiulcer medicines
Antiemetic medicines
Complementary:Anti-inflammatory medicines
No listings in this section.Laxatives
No listings in this section.Medicines used in diarrhoea
Oral rehydration
Medicines for diarrhoea
Medicines for endocrine disorders
Adrenal hormones and synthetic substitutes
Androgens
No listings in this section.Estrogens
No listings in this section.Progestogens
No listings in this section.Medicines for diabetes
Insulins
- Insulin (analogue, long-acting)
- Insulin (analogue, rapid-acting)
- Insulin (human, intermediate-acting)
- Insulin (human, short-acting)
Hypoglycaemic agents
Complementary:Medicines for hypoglycaemia
Complementary:Thyroid hormones and antithyroid medicines
Complementary:Medicines for disorders of the pituitary hormone system
No listings in this section.Immunologicals
Diagnostic agents
Sera, immunoglobulins and monoclonal antibodies
- Anti-rabies virus monoclonal antibodies
- Antivenom immunoglobulin
- Diphtheria antitoxin
- Equine rabies immunoglobulin
Vaccines
- BCG vaccine
- Cholera vaccine
- Dengue vaccine
- Diphtheria vaccine
- Ebola vaccine
- Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine
- Hepatitis A vaccine
- Hepatitis B vaccine
- Human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccine
- Influenza vaccine
- Japanese encephalitis vaccine
- Malaria vaccine
- Measles vaccine
- Meningococcal meningitis vaccine
- Mpox vaccine
- Mumps vaccine
- Pertussis vaccine
- Pneumococcal vaccine
- Poliomyelitis vaccine
- Rabies vaccine
- Rotavirus vaccine
- Rubella vaccine
- Tetanus vaccine
- Tick-borne encephalitis vaccine
- Typhoid vaccine
- Varicella vaccine
- Yellow fever vaccine
Muscle relaxants (peripherally-acting) and cholinesterase inhibitors
Complementary:Ophthalmological preparations
Anti-infective agents
Anti-inflammatory agents
Local anaesthetics
Miotics and antiglaucoma medicines
No listings in this section.Mydriatics
Complementary:Anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) preparations
No listings in this section.Medicines for reproductive health and perinatal care
Contraceptives
No listings in this section.Ovulation inducers
No listings in this section.Uterotonics
No listings in this section.Medicines for medical abortion
No listings in this section.Antioxytocics (tocolytics)
No listings in this section.Other medicines administered to the mother
No listings in this section.Medicines administered to the neonate
Complementary:Peritoneal dialysis solution
Complementary:Medicines for mental and behavioural disorders
Medicines used in psychotic disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines used in mood disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines used in depressive disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines used in bipolar disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines for anxiety disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines used for obsessive compulsive disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines for disorders due to psychoactive substance use
No listings in this section.Medicines for alcohol use disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines for nicotine use disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines for opioid use disorders
No listings in this section.Medicines acting on the respiratory tract
Antiasthmatic medicines
Solutions correcting water, electrolyte and acid-base disturbances
Oral
Parenteral
- Glucose
- Glucose with sodium chloride
- Potassium chloride
- Sodium chloride
- Sodium hydrogen carbonate
- Sodium lactate, compound solution
Miscellaneous
Vitamins and minerals
- Ascorbic acid
- Colecalciferol
- Iodine
- Multiple micronutrient powder
- Pyridoxine
- Retinol
- Riboflavin
- Thiamine