The World Health Organization has formally added several powerful weight-loss drugs—specifically GLP-1 agonists like semaglutide and tirzepatide used in Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro—to its List of Essential Medicines, marking the first time it’s endorsed such drugs for treating obesity and diabetes globally. The move comes amid alarming statistics: over 3.7 million people died in 2021 from diseases linked to overweight and obesity—surpassing death tolls from malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV combined.
WHO’s guidance urges that generic versions of these appetite-suppressing medications be made accessible in developing countries, where affordability has been a major barrier despite the potential for these drugs to save many lives. While popular brand names like Ozempic and Wegovy have already made headlines in wealthier nations, their high costs risk excluding populations where obesity-related illnesses are surging and health systems are already stretched.
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