The World Health Organisation (WHO) on Friday, for the first time, recommended the global use of a new class of weight-loss and diabetes drugs, urging pharmaceutical companies to make affordable generic versions available for developing countries.
The drugs, known as GLP-1 agonists — marketed under brands such as Ozempic, Wegovy, and Mounjaro — have surged in popularity due to their ability to significantly aid weight reduction.
According to WHO figures, more than 3.7 million people died from illnesses linked to being overweight or obese in 2021 — surpassing the combined toll of malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV.
However, the prohibitive cost of GLP-1 drugs, which can exceed $1,000 per month in the United States, has raised concerns that access in poorer nations will remain limited.
In its latest update, WHO added semaglutide, the active ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Wegovy, and liraglutide, used in Eli Lilly’s Mounjaro, to its global essential medicines list for adults.
“These life-saving medicines should be accessible to those who need them most,” WHO said in a statement, calling for “generic competition to drive down prices.”
Pharmacology researcher Andrew Hill of Liverpool University noted that generic semaglutide could be manufactured in India for as little as $4 a month, compared with current market costs.
“What we’re asking is for Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly to do the responsible thing and make their treatments globally available at affordable, generic prices,” Hill told AFP.
The patent for semaglutide will expire next year in several countries, including Canada, India, and China, potentially paving the way for expanded generic production.
Initially developed to manage diabetes, GLP-1 agonists have shown promise in addressing other conditions, including obesity, addiction, and cardiovascular health. A recent study in the JAMA medical journal reported that patients with heart conditions taking the drugs had a 40 per cent lower risk of hospitalisation or premature death.
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One in eight people worldwide is now classified as obese, while more than 800 million people were living with diabetes in 2022, according to WHO data.
Alongside the diabetes and weight-loss medications, the organisation also added a number of cancer treatments to its essential medicines list, underscoring its commitment to widening access to critical therapies.
