1. WHO Model Formulary (WMF)
27 June, 2003
WHO Model Formulary (WMF)
Dinesh K Mehta
September 2004
Rachel and I are here to forge and strengthen the links between the WHO work that is done here and the editorial work on the WHO Model Formulary.
Both of us work as editors on the BNF. Although Rachel did a lot of work on the first edition of the WHO Model Formulary, she was officially appointed to take on the prime responsibility for the WMF earlier this year.
As you will all know, the WMF was published last year. I think it would be true to say that it has been met with wide acclaim and the WHO has received very positive feedback on it. We want to build on this and make it a publication that is highly valued by healthcare professionals and one that will make a real change to the treatment patients receive.
This is a joint presentation. I will talk about some general concepts. Rachel will then talk much more specifically about the work and most importantly how we can all work more closely to produce reliable information on medicines. 1

2. What healthcare workers want to know about medicines
04/26/99
What healthcare workers want to know about medicines
What medicine for a given condition?
Is the medicine suitable for my patient?
What else do I need to know to prescribe it?
What do I need to know about a previously prescribed medicine?

3. Requirements for prescribing information
04/26/99
Requirements for prescribing information
Authoritative
Comprehensive
Up-to-date
Practical
Widely distributed
Locally relevant

4. Expert assessment for clinical and local relevance
04/26/99
Systematic reviews
Research data
Regulatory data
Expert assessment for clinical and local relevance
Textbooks
Expert advice
Dissemination
Bulletins
FORMULARIES
Guidelines
Prescriber
Promotion
Peers
Costs
Other influences

5. Anatomy of a formulary ‘Front matter’ Notes Monographs Appendices
04/26/99
Anatomy of a formulary
‘Front matter’
Notes
Monographs
Appendices

6. How is it presented?
The book
Digitally
Adaptations and translations

7. Adapting information for local use
Language
Training
Affordability
Prevalence of conditions and priorities
Healthcare provision
Sophistication of technology

8. WHO Model Formulary: production
27 June, 2003
WHO Model Formulary: production
1995 the WHO Expert Committee on the Use of Essential Drugs recommended development of a WHO Model Formulary to complement the WHO Model List of Essential Drugs (the ‘Model List’)
It was to be updated every two years.
Useful resource for countries wishing to develop their own national formulary.
After April 1996 work was started to draft sections of the text
In November 1999 the WHO accept an offer by the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain to take responsibility for final data validation, editing and layout.
During the validation process all statements in the draft text were compared with the original references and checked for consistency with other WHO documents and recommendations and reputable drug information sources.
As this was the first edition of work took almost two years and was completed by the end of 2001.
During this process when necessary the text was updated to take into account new information that had become available since the time of writing e.g. monographs were included for the small number of essential drugs that had been added to the Model List in November 1999.
Further editions of the WMF will obviously be produced differently now that the 2002 version has been produced 1

9. Validation of existing text
Compare WMF text against
New WHO publications
Changes between editions of BNF
Martindale

10. Sources BNF Martindale Drug withdrawals Textbooks Readers’ comments
WHO experts and Expert Committee
WHO programmes
WHO publications
Summaries of Product Characteristics (SPCs)
Original papers and systematic reviews (e.g. Cochrane reviews)
BNF
Martindale
Drug withdrawals
Textbooks
Readers’ comments

11. Verification of new text
New and amended text:
Checked independently by 2 editors
Extra check of dose statements
Sent to WHO for verification
All new or amended text will be checked by at least 2 members of staff (including the Executive Editor) to ensure accuracy and clarity, and to make sure that the style is consistent
All new or amended dose statements will also receive an extra check to ensure accuracy
All new or amended text will be sent to WHO for verification (i.e. to ensure the information is correct and is consistent with WHO messages) 2

12. Style
WHO style manual
Use of XML to code database ensures consistent style of individual elements
WHO style manual
Use of XML to code database ensures consistent style of individual elements (unfortunately database is coded by humans who may apply codes inconsistently!) 7

13. How you can help Make thorough use of the resource Report:
Areas of disagreement
Ambiguity or incomplete information
Mistakes!
Make suggestions for improvement/expansion

14. The future Evolution of scope and extent Research on effectiveness
Digital versions e.g.
PDA (handheld)
Translated versions (book and digital)