WHO plans to support global use of weight-loss drugs for adults

The World Health Organization (WHO) is preparing to officially endorse the use of weight-loss drugs, specifically GLP-1 receptor agonists like Wegovy and Zepbound, for treating obesity in adults—a significant shift in its global health strategy. This initiative also emphasizes the need to improve access to these treatments in low- and middle-income countries, where the majority of the world's over one billion obese individuals reside. GLP-1 drugs, which help people feel full longer, have shown clinical trial results of 15% to 20% body weight loss but remain expensive, often costing more than $1,000 a month, and may require lifelong use to maintain weight loss. The WHO's official recommendation will be part of new obesity treatment guidelines released in August, with separate guidelines forthcoming for children and adolescents. Additionally, WHO experts will soon decide whether to include these drugs on the agency's essential medicines list, a move that could increase their availability in poorer countries. This marks a departure from a 2023 decision, when the WHO withheld endorsement pending more evidence on long-term benefits.