WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence

The WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD) is a committee within the World Health Organization (WHO) that consists of a chosen group of independent experts within the field of pharmacology. This committee meets once a year in order to evaluate the effects of psychotic[b] substances towards the public and the properties that cause the addictions, and considering the possible medical or therapeutic benefits and applications.[1]

WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD)
Parent institutionWorld Health Organization
Established1948
MissionConducting the medical and scientific evaluation of drugs
Members11[a]
WebsiteECDD Website

Committee members

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The committee is composed of different specialists (the number can vary) who are experts within the field of drugs and medicines. This list is updated alongside the 2023 46th ECDD Committee Member List:[2]

  • Prof. Patrick Beardsley
  • Dr. Wim Best
  • Dr. Sandra Comer
  • Dr. Ifeoma Toyin Ekwere
  • Dr. Simon Elliott
  • Prof. Raka Jain
  • Dr Pamela Kaduri
  • Dr. Junichi Kitanaka
  • Dr. Antonio Pascale Prieto
  • Dr. Afarin Rahimi-Movaghar
  • Prof. Jason White
  • Suti Nudmamud Thanoi

Meetings

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Due to the large amounts of meetings in the ECDD, this list will only go as far to the 45th Committee Meeting.

46th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence Meeting[3] was held on 16 October 2023, and reviewed 8 different drugs, such as: Benzodiazepines such as Bromazolam and Flubromazepam, Novel synthetic opioids[c] such as Butonitazene, Cathinones/stimulants such as 3-CMC and Dipentylone, Dissociative-type substances such as 2-fluorodeschloroketamine as well as medicines such as Nitrous Oxide (medication) and Carisoprodol.

45th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence Meeting[4] 45th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence Meeting was held on 10 October 2022, and reviewed 9 different drugs such as: Cannabinoids such as ADB-BUTINACA, Benzodiazepines such as Adinazolam and Bromazolam, syntetic opioids such as Protonitazene, Etodesnitazene, N-pyrrolidino etonitazene) and 2-Methyl-AP-237, Stimulants such as: alpha-PiHP and 3-Methylmethcathinone (3-MMC) and medicines such as Zopiclone.

Substances under watchlist

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The ECDD currently have 25 drugs under their watchlist as of 2023,[5] split into 7 different cateogories:

Amphetamine-type stimulants:

Benzodiazepines:

Synthetic Cannabinoid Receptor Agonists:

Synthetic cathinones:

Opioids:

Tryptamines:

Psychoactive Medicines:

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ As of 2023, number of members were counted by the amount of individuals within the document. See reference 1.
  2. ^ Refers to psychoative substances
  3. ^ Novel Synthetic Opoids refers to new opoids that were synthesised within laboratories or equivalent.

References

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  1. ^ "46th ECDD Committee Member Biographies" (PDF). WHO.
  2. ^ "The WHO Expert Committee on Drug Dependence (ECDD)". WHO. 2023.
  3. ^ "46th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence documents". Expert Committee on Drug Dependence. WHO (ECDD).
  4. ^ "Expert Committee on Drug Dependence". 45th Expert Committee on Drug Dependence documents. WHO (ECDD).
  5. ^ "LIST OF SUBSTANCES UNDER SURVEILLANCE 2023" (PDF). WHO ECDD.