WHO Sets GLP-1 Weight-Loss Drug Guidelines

"New World Health Organization guidelines for GLP-1 weight-loss drugs state that intensive behavioral therapy should be combined with these revolutionizing medications for obesity treatment. In the guidance, released, Monday, the WHO called for a global obesity ecosystem to ensure the fair use of the drugs. More than one billion people are affected by obesity worldwide, and in 2021 the disease was linked to some 3.7 million deaths from heart disease, diabetes and other conditions."

"Yet in recent years, GLP-1 drugs such as Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Wegovywhile expensivehave proven surprisingly effective in treating obesity, three WHO officials write in the organization's guidance, which was published in JAMA. Those successes have raised hopes for treatmentand questions about fairness. The advent of these medicines represents a tipping point in the treatment of obesity, its complications, and related comorbidities, the WHO officials write."

WHO guidance recommends combining GLP-1 weight-loss medications with intensive behavioral therapy and supports long-term drug use for adult obesity treatment. More than one billion people face obesity globally, with about 3.7 million deaths linked to obesity-related conditions in 2021. GLP-1 drugs such as Ozempic and Wegovy have shown strong effectiveness despite high cost, creating both treatment optimism and equity concerns. The guidance urges inclusion of diet and exercise counseling alongside medication and calls for building a broader global obesity ecosystem to ensure equitable access amid limited GLP-1 supply.

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