Geneva – โฃ The World Health Organization (WHO) hasโข issued conditional recommendations for theโค use of GLP-1 receptor agonist drugs – initially developed for diabetes – in the long-termโค treatment of obesity among โadults, excluding pregnant women. The declaration, made today, acknowledgesโ the โคpotential of these treatments too โcombat a growing global healthโข crisis, but stresses they are not a “solution miracle.”
according toโค the WHO, these โdrugs can help millions overcome โขobesity and reduce associated risks like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Though, the recommendationโ is “conditional” due to the need for further โdata regarding long-term effectiveness andโค safety. โค
“We cannot consider these drugs as โคa miracle solution,” stated Jeremy Farrar, WHO โAssistant Director-General for Healthโฃ Promotion, โฃDisease โขPrevention and Control. “But they willโ clearly become a very important element of an integrated approach to obesity.”
The WHO emphasizes that medication alone is โคinsufficient. Intensive โขbehavioral interventions,including โฃhealthy eating and increased physical activity,are crucial alongside drug treatment. โThe โorganization also calls for “robust policies” to promote health, prevent obesity, and implement targeted โคscreening for high-risk individuals.
Francesca Celletti, WHO senior โadvisor โขon โobesity, โฃnoted theโค potential to “change this epidemiological trajectory of obesity,” but warned thatโ without intervention,โ global costsโฃ related to overweight and obesity โคare projectedโ to reach $3 trillion annually by 2030. โShe also โฃacknowledgedโ “currentโ production capacity is insufficient,” โraising concerns about access, notably in lower-income countries, and shortagesโข experienced by diabetic โpatients for whom theโฃ drugs were originally intended. The WHO โhopesโ theโค new guidelines willโ spur the development of cheaper generic versions and local production.
