The adoption of the essential medicines list (EML) enables access to essential medicines and their rational use as only necessary medicines with proven efficacy and safety, favorable cost and dosage forms are included. This work presents an action plan for essential medicines selection in the public health system, which may also be employed as a management tool in health facilities. Methodological design involved a complete review of state experiences in medicines selection, and the analysis of the case in the State of Rio de Janeiro. The plan was developed based on the theoretical framework of health-systems evaluation and organized in a step-wise fashion. For each step, objectives, goals and necessary actions were compiled, totaling three objectives, eight goals and sixteen interlaced actions. Each action, in turn, is accompanied by the detailing of its contribution to the objective, methods, necessary resources, estimated timeframe for completion and indicators for measurement of achievement of objective. We propose that this plan may help subsidize the development of the selection process in states and municipalities, as well as reviews of the EML.
drugs; essential; pharmaceutical services; health management; Brazil