The World Health Organization on Monday recommended GLP-1 drugs as a tool to combat obesity in adults, marking a shift in how the UN agency has historically approached obesity treatment.
The WHO said GLP-1 drugs could be part of a long-term treatment strategy that combines medication with counseling on healthy diet and physical activity. Previous WHO recommendations focused on the latter.
WHO representatives published guidelines On Monday, the medical journal JAMA defined long-term use as continuous treatment for six months or more.
“GLP-1 therapy represents more than a scientific breakthrough,” officials wrote. “They represent a new chapter in a gradual conceptual shift in society's approach to obesity – from a 'lifestyle condition' to a complex, preventable and treatable chronic disease.”
However, the guidelines also state that “medicines alone cannot address the global burden of obesity.” Genetics and environmental factors, such as increased stress levels or increased exposure to processed foods, also likely contribute.
The recommended class of drugs, formally known as GLP-1 agonists, can suppress a person's appetite by mimicking the hormone that signals the brain when a person is full.
The popularity of these drugs has skyrocketed over the past few years as growing evidence suggests they can help with weight loss and reduce the risk of obesity-related diseases for example, high blood pressure, heart attacks or strokes. In the USA, 1 in 8 adults report They are currently taking the GLP-1 drug for weight loss or another condition, such as diabetes, according to KFF, a nonprofit health think tank.
In September, the WHO added GLP-1 drugs for diabetes to its list of essential medicines, but stopped short of adding them just for treating obesity.
The organization's new guidelines, developed by a committee of obesity, pharmacology and public health experts, were created at the request of WHO member states, officials said. They follow the approval of GLP-1 drugs by several regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration.
Many countries incorporate WHO recommendations into their health policies.
The agency's recommendation is conditional, meaning the benefits likely outweigh the disadvantages, but more evidence is needed. In the JAMA paper, WHO officials stressed the need for longer-term data on the safety and effectiveness of drugs, as well as lower prices to expand access.
The most popular weight-loss drugs in the U.S.—Eli Lilly's Zepbound and Novo Nordisk's Wegovy—have list prices above $1,000 a month. However, the Trump administration recently announced deal with pharmaceutical companies What could reduce cost for people who pay out of pocket or have Medicare or Medicaid.
