Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 12, 2026
A Method to Quantify Visual Information Processing in Children Using Eye Tracking
Published on: July 9, 2016
Development of a provisional essential medicines list for children in Canada: consensus process
Hannah Woods1, Efosa Oronsaye1, Anjli Bali1
1Affiliations: Centre for Urban Health Solutions (Woods, Oronsaye, Bali, Rajakulasingam, Lee, Umali, Persaud), Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital; Department of Family and Community Medicine (Persaud), University of Toronto; The Hospital for Sick Children (Cohen, Finkelstein, Offringa); University of Toronto (Cohen, Finkelstein, Offringa); Institute of Health Policy, Management and Evaluation (Cohen, Persaud), Toronto, Ont.
Background:
Worldwide, many countries have developed a list of essential medicines for children to improve prescribing. We aimed to create an essential medicines list for children in Canada.
Methods:
We adapted the previously created preliminary list of essential medicines for adults in Canada and the WHO Model List of Essential Medicines for Children to create a provisional list of essential medicines for children in Canada. Canadian clinicians made suggestions for changes. Literature relevant to each suggestion was presented to clinician-scientists, who used a modified nominal group technique to make recommendations on the suggestions. Ontario Public Drug Programs prescription data were reviewed to identify commonly prescribed medications missing from the list. Literature relevant to these medications was shared with a clinician-scientist review panel to determine which should be added, and a revised list was developed.
Results:
A total of 76 items were removed from the list of essential medicines for adults in Canada because they were not indicated for use in children or were not relevant in the Canadian health care context; 7 medications were added to the child list based on Ontario Public Drugs Programs prescribing data and clinician-scientist review. Suggestions to add, remove or substitute medications were made by peer-reviewers and resulted in removal of 1 medication and replacement of 1 medication. The process produced a provisional list of 67 essential medications for children.
Interpretation:
A provisional list of 67 essential medicines for children was created through a peer-reviewed, multistep process based on current clinical evidence, Canadian clinical practice guidelines and historical prescribing data. It is publicly posted at http://cleanmeds.ca/. The list should be further developed based on wider input and should be continuously revised based on emerging evidence of the safety and effectiveness of these medicines in all pediatric age groups.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Compounds Essential to Human Function
Inorganic Compounds Essential to Human Functioning
Inorganic compounds essential to human functioning include water, salts, acids, and bases. These compounds are inorganic, i.e., they do not have a carbon-hydrogen bond. Water...
01:31Essential Minerals for Bone Health
Calcium and Phosphorus
Calcium is a critical component of bones, especially in the form of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Since the body cannot make calcium, it must be obtained from the diet. However, calcium cannot be absorbed from the small intestine without...
01:29Microorganisms in Medicine and Therapeutics
01:43Sustainable Development
02:50Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...
01:29Drug Dosing: Infants and Children