WHO Signals Support for Anti-Obesity Drugs on Essential Medicines List

The World Health Organization (WHO) is poised to make a significant shift in its stance on anti-obesity medications, potentially adding them to its Essential Medicines List (EML) for adults. This development marks a notable change from the organization's previous decision in 2023 to exclude these drugs from the list.

WHO's Internal Memo Reveals New Perspective

According to an exclusive report by Reuters, an internal WHO memo indicates the organization's inclination to support the use of weight-loss medications for adults globally. The memo suggests that popular obesity drugs, including Novo Nordisk's Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound, may soon be classified as "essential medicines."

The WHO's Essential Medicines List, updated biennially based on expert committee recommendations, identifies drugs that "satisfy the priority health care needs of a population" and should be consistently available in functioning health systems.

Accessibility Concerns and Affordability Strategies

While signaling support for these medications, the WHO has also raised concerns about their accessibility. The internal document acknowledges the high cost of these treatments, with monthly courses of Wegovy or Zepbound potentially exceeding $1,000, placing them out of reach for many patients, particularly in low- and middle-income countries.

To address this issue, the WHO intends to call for strategies to improve drug affordability. The memo suggests that "mechanisms that are used in large-scale medicine access programmes may need to be adopted," highlighting the organization's commitment to broader access to these treatments.

Timeline and Comprehensive Approach

A WHO spokesperson informed Reuters that the new guidelines could be finalized by August or September 2025. At that time, the organization plans to provide more detailed information on "how and when this class of medications may be integrated as one component of a chronic care model that includes both clinical and lifestyle interventions."

This approach aligns with the views expressed by three high-ranking WHO officials in a December 2024 JAMA opinion piece. While acknowledging GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy and Zepbound as "transformative" tools against obesity, they emphasized that "medication in isolation will not be enough to address the obesity crisis." The officials stressed the importance of ensuring "universally available services to prevent, treat, and manage the disease in a way that is accessible, affordable, and sustainable."