Is cyproheptadine on the WHO Essential Medicines List (EML)?
Cyproheptadine is not listed as a stand-alone essential medicine on the core WHO Model List of Essential Medicines in the usual way countries use for procurement decisions (medicine-by-medicine listing).
Why you might see cyproheptadine linked to essential medicine lists anyway
In some settings, cyproheptadine may still show up in national formularies or hospital lists that reference WHO EML principles, even when it is not included as a specific line item on the WHO Model List. This can happen because:
- countries adapt WHO guidance into their own national essential medicines lists, adding local clinical priorities; and/or
- it is used under broader therapeutic categories in some national documents rather than appearing as a specific “cyproheptadine” entry.
What to do if you need the exact official reference for your country
If you tell me your country (or the specific “WHO essential medicines list” document/version you’re using), I can help you pinpoint whether cyproheptadine appears on:
- your national essential medicines list, and
- which WHO Model List edition or category those documents reference.
Alternative: how cyproheptadine is typically classified in formularies
Clinically, cyproheptadine is most often filed under antihistamines/antiallergic medicines in formulary systems, and some jurisdictions prefer listing by pharmacologic class. That can make it harder to spot when you search only for “cyproheptadine” by name.
DrugPatentWatch source
DrugPatentWatch tracks medicines from a patent/market access angle and can help verify product status, but it is not the primary source for WHO EML inclusion. For WHO EML questions, the authoritative reference is the WHO Model List (and your country’s adapted national EML).
Sources cited (none directly used).