This repo contains the clean data file containing information on the listing of drugs (and their indication) recommended as first- or second-line treatments for the management of neuropathic pain on national essential medicines lists. The repo also includes the R analysis scripts, figure outputs, and the non-English drug and disease names used in the data extraction process. The work was done under the auspicies of the Neuropathic Pain Special Interest Group (NeuPSIG) of the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP).
The 112 national essential medicine lists included in the analysis were obtained from the WHO. Copies of the documents can be located here.
Kamerman PR, Wadley AL, Davis KD, Hietaharju A, Jain P, Kopf A, Meyer A-C, Raja SN, Rice ASC, Smith BH, Treede R-D, Wiffen PJ. Data and analysis scripts: Inclusion of medicines to treat neuropathic pain on national essential medicines lists. Figshare DOI: 10.6084/m9.figshare.4644412
Kamerman PR, Wadley AL, Davis KD, Hietaharju A, Jain P, Kopf A, Meyer A-C, Raja SN, Rice ASC, Smith BH, Treede R-D, Wiffen PJ. World Health Organization essential medicines lists: where are the drugs to treat neuropathic pain? PAIN 156:793–797, 2015. DOI: 10.1097/01.j.pain.0000460356.94374.a1
See: LICENSE file for details
Open Data Commons Attribution License
The MIT License (MIT)
| Code | Key |
|---|---|
| Country | Country of origin |
| Region | United Nations (UN) geographic region |
| Subregion | UN geographic subregion |
| World.Bank | World Bank income category classification |
| IMF | International Monetary Fund (IMF) classification of developmental status |
| Year | Year the essential medicines list (EML) was published |
| Language | Language in which the EML was published |
| Type | WHO drug listing format |
| Class | Drug class |
| Drug | Drug name (generic name) |
| Listed | Was the drug included on the EML? |
| Any.NeuP | If listed, was it indicated for any neuropathic pain conditions? |
| Central.NeuP | If listed, was it indicated for any central causes of neuropathic pain? |
| Peripheral.NeuP | If listed, was it indicated for any peripheral causes of neuropathic pain? |
| DPN | If listed, was it indicated for painful diabetic polyneuropathy? |
| PHN | If listed, was it indicated for post-herpetic neuralgia? |
| HIV | If listed, was it indicated for painful HIV-associated sensory neuropathy? |
| TGN | If listed, was it indicated for trigeminal neuralgia? |
Mexico: Phenytoin tablets and buprenorphen patches recommended for neuropathic pain (any). Oxcarbazepine recommended for neuropathic pain (any). Low-dose capsaicin cream, which is recommended for treating neuropathy (0.035%).
Bahrain: Phenytoin recommended for neuropathic pain (any) including TGN. Amantadine hydrochloride recommended for PHN.
Mongolia: Needs translation.
Togo: Amitriptyline recommended for palliative care.
Ukraine: Phenytoin indicated second-line for TGN, and suggests carbamazepine for MS pain.
Uruguay: Amitriptyline for fibromyalgia. Phenytoin indicated for TGN.
Zambia: TCA = Clomipramine
Syria and Vietnam: Capsaicin cream listed, but no concentration given.
Central African Republic, Dominican Republic, Gabon, Bangladesh, Thailand, Vietnam: Countries not stating topical lidocaine % concentration
Bahrain: Oxycodone listed in the preface under narcotic agonists but is not mentioned in the body of the document. CONSENSUS: OXYCODONE NOT LISTED.
Lesotho: Paracetamol listed for Guillan Barr$é. Should it be classified as 'neuropathic pain'? CONSENSUS: YES GB CAN BE PAINFUL, AND WOULD FALL UNDER PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY.
Nicaragua: Unique coding (rather than A/ATC/NTG). CONSENSUS: CLASS list type as "UNKNOWN".
Peru: 2012 edition used ATC coding, but 2011 version used more detailed NTG coding. Which version should be used? CONSENSUS: FOLLOW EXTRACTION PROTOCOL AND USE MOST RECENT VERSION.
Slovakia: Paracetamol/acetaminophen is not listed, but ibuprofen is. CONSENSUS: REASSESS USING ATC CODES (IN CASE DRUG TRADE NAME RATHER THAN GENERIC NAME USED ON LIST).
Poland: 2009 list does not include paracetamol. CONSENSUS: IDENTIFIED UPDATED, 2011, LIST. NO PARACETAMOL LISTED.
Ukraine: Indicate tramadol for "severe neuralgia". CONSENSUS: RECORD AS BEING INDICATED FOR "ANY NEUROPATHY", BUT NOT TRIGEMINAL OR POST-HERPETIC NEURALGIA SPECIFICALLY.
Mexico: Discrepancy in extraction for ibuprofen. CONSENSUS: IBUPROFEN NOT LISTED.