PARIS: The World Health Organization has recommended several blockbuster weight-loss drugs for global treatment of diabetes and obesity for the first time.
The UN health agency called for affordable generic versions to be made available for people in developing countries during its Friday announcement.
This new generation of appetite-suppressing drugs called GLP-1 agonists includes popular brands like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro.
These medications have gained massive popularity due to their proven ability to help people achieve significant weight loss.
More than 3.7 million people died from illnesses related to being overweight or obese in 2021 according to WHO statistics.
This death toll exceeds the combined fatalities from top infectious killers malaria, tuberculosis and HIV.
The extremely high prices of GLP-1 drugs have raised serious concerns about accessibility in poorer nations.
These medications can cost over USD 1,000 per month in the United States despite their potential to save lives in developing countries.
The WHO added semaglutide to its essential medicines list for adults worldwide during the Friday update.
Semaglutide serves as the active ingredient in Danish pharmaceutical giant Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy products.
The health organization also included tirzepatide from US company Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro in its essential medicines list.
The UN agency encouraged generic competition to drive down prices for these life-saving injectable drugs.
Andrew Hill, a pharmacology researcher at Liverpool University, cited research showing generic semaglutide production costs.
Generic versions could be mass produced in India for as little as USD 4 per month according to available research.
Hill called for pharmaceutical companies to make their treatments available worldwide at affordable generic prices.
The patent for semaglutide will expire in several countries including Canada, India and China next year.
This patent expiration could result in a significant surge in generic production of the weight-loss medication.
GLP-1 drugs were originally developed for diabetes treatment despite some side effects including nausea.
Recent research increasingly suggests these medications could help with a broad range of health problems including addiction.
A study published in the JAMA medical journal this week revealed significant cardiovascular benefits.
Patients with heart problems taking these drugs had more than a 40% lower risk of hospitalisation or premature death.
One in eight people worldwide are now obese according to current WHO statistics.
More than 800 million people were living with diabetes globally in 2022 as reported by the health organization.
The WHO also named a range of cancer drugs to its essential medicines list during the same update. – AFP
