Acetylsalicylic acid (ASA), paracetamol and ibuprofen are analgesics listed in the World Health Organization Model Lists of Essential Medicines (WHO EML) for relieving pain and palliative care in adults. The aim of this study was to analyse evidence from systematic reviews with meta-analysis on efficacy and safety of those analgesics for pain and palliative care in adults. Four databases were searched: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CDSR and DARE. Independent duplicate screening of bibliographic records and retrieved full texts was conducted in order to find relevant systematic reviews containing at least one meta-analysis on pain and safety of studied medicines. Methodological quality of included systematic reviews was analysed using the AMSTAR scale. There were 43 systematic reviews included, published from 1996 till 2015. The efficacy of ASA was proven for pain after childbirth, postoperative pain, dental pain and many other different models of pain, but not for primary dysmenorrhea. Moreover, high number of side effects was reported as a result of taking ASA, such as irritation of stomach and insomnia. For ibuprofen, the efficacy was proven in all the included studies except the one analysing analgesia during implantation of intrauterine contraception. For treatment of fibromyalgia there was not enough evidence. Ibuprofen proved to be more efficacious than paracetamol, but it often causes side effects. The highest number of systematic reviews analysed paracetamol which mainly showed lower efficacy in the studied indications. When it comes to treatment of pain during common cold, the efficacy was the same as with the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and it can be used for treating dental pain and postoperative pain. The side effects were minor. Quality of evidence from included systematic reviews was moderate. Evidence from systematic reviews about efficacy and safety of ASA, paracetamol and ibuprofen as a therapy for nociceptive and inflammatory pain is of satisfactory quality and their use in the majority of analysed indications is justified. The role of these analgesics for managing neuropathic pain, chronic pain, as well as their role in palliative care is unclear due to lack of evidence of efficacy from systematic reviews. The WHO EML should be revised in order to specify the indications for which these analgesics have been proven as effective.