History of Essential Drug List
■ 1897-Aspirin was introduced as the first synthetic pharmaceutical
■ 1941-Introduction of first modern antibiotics i.e Penicillin
■ 1943-First commercial antimalarial
■ 1944-First antituberculous drug
■ 1950’s-Introduction of oral contraceptives, antidiabetics and antipsychotics
■ 1977-WHO published first model list of Essential drugs (208)
■ 1997-WHO’s 10th model list of essential drugs (306)
■ The 11th Model List -- describing just over 300 drugs -- was revised in November 1999 and published in December 1999.
N.B: Malaysia’s EDL contains 419 items and a supplemental list