Virtual Dialogue - 50 years of the WHO Essential Medicines List: what has Section 2 meant for equitable access to palliative care medicines?

Palliative care is an essential component of quality cancer care, helping to relieve suffering and improve quality of life for patients, families, and caregivers. Since the inclusion of pain and palliative care medicines in Section 2 of the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines (EML) in 2013, the EML has served as a critical policy tool for guiding national medicines policies and supporting access to essential treatments. Yet, despite their recognised importance, many palliative care medicines remain unavailable, inaccessible, or unaffordable in many parts of the world. This is particularly evident for opioid analgesics such as morphine, leaving millions of people without adequate pain relief and symptom management.

As the WHO EML marks its 50th anniversary in 2027, this UICC Virtual Dialogue explores the role of the EML in advancing palliative care and examine the policy, financing, regulatory, procurement, and supply chain factors that influence access to Section 2 essential medicines. Bringing together policymakers, clinicians, researchers, advocates, and global health partners, the discussion will highlight lessons from diverse country experiences and identify practical actions to improve access over the coming decade. The dialogue aims to strengthen understanding of how the EML can support equitable access to palliative care medicines and inform future advocacy efforts to ensure that no patient is left behind in pain.

This Virtual Dialogue is hosted in collaboration with the International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care (IAHPC)

Expected outcomes

• A clear understanding of how the WHO EML has influenced national policies and access to Section 2 palliative care medicines since 2013 through both success stories and challenges;
• An actionable policy analysis of the access/excess challenge characterised by overconsumption in some HICs and chronically low consumption in most LMICs;
• A conceptual foundation for a joint IAHPC-UICC advocacy campaign to encourage WHO member states to include Section 2 essential medicines in their national EMLs.

Speakers

• Katherine Pettus, International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care (IAHPC) (Chair)
• Lukas Radbruch, University Hospital Bonn, Germany
• Tania Pastrana, University Hospital RWTH Aachen, Germany
• Bernadette Capello, World Health Organization 
• Ebtesam Ahmed, St. John’s University, USA 
• Sherin Paul, IAHPC, Geneva
• Esther Hortense Dina Bell, University of Douala, Cameroun