The World Health Organization on Monday (December 1) issued its first guideline on the
use of
GLP-1 therapies for obesity, conditionally recommending them as part of long-term treatment for the condition, which affects more than 1 billion people globally according to the agency.
The guidance comes as demand for the class of drugs known as
GLP-1 agonists has surged worldwide, and governments are figuring out how to include the blockbuster therapies into public health systems.
The first conditional recommendation advises the
use of
GLP-1 drugs by adults, except pregnant women, for long-term obesity treatment, while the second suggests interventions like a healthy diet and physical activity to be offered alongside the medicines.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the new guidance "recognizes that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care."
He added that although medication alone cannot solve this global health crisis,
GLP-1 medication could help millions overcome this condition and reduce its associated harms.
The latest move builds on the agency's decision in September to add semaglutide and tirzepatide, active ingredients in Novo Nordisk's Ozempic and Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, to its essential medicines list for managing type 2 diabetes in high-risk groups.
Tedros also stressed that access remains a major barrier. Even with rapid expansion in production,
GLP-1 therapies are projected to reach fewer than 10% of those
who could benefit, by 2030.
The latest guideline applies to adults with a Body Mass Index of 30 or higher and the recommendations are for three agents - semaglutide, tirzepatide, and an older drug from the same class called liraglutide.
