SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
The World Health Organization (WHO) released its first-ever global guideline on the use of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) therapies for the long-term treatment of obesity, recognizing it as a complex, chronic, relapsing disease. The scale of the global crisis is immense: obesity affects more than 1 billion people and its associated harms contributed to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, with the annual economic cost projected to reach USD $3 trillion by 2030.
Conditional Recommendation and Comprehensive Care
The WHO issued a conditional recommendation for GLP-1 use in adults (excluding pregnant women), stressing that while their efficacy is evident, the guidance is conditional due to major concerns over current costs, inadequate health-system preparedness, and potential equity implications. The guideline firmly emphasizes that medication alone will not solve the problem and must be part of a comprehensive strategy built on promoting healthier environments, targeted screening, and ensuring access to lifelong, person-centered care.
GLP-1 receptor agonists are a class of medicines (including liraglutide, semaglutide, and tirzepatide) that were initially used to manage type 2 diabetes. They support weight loss and metabolic outcomes. The WHO’s conditional recommendation for their use in obesity treatment is the first time the organization has issued such guidance, classifying them as effective pharmacological options.
Access and Global Risk
The WHO forecasts a severe access crisis: even with rapid production expansion, GLP-1 therapies are projected to reach fewer than 10% of those who could benefit by 2030. The high global demand for these therapies is fueling the spread of falsified and substandard products, posing a significant threat to patient safety and public trust. Consequently, WHO urged the global community to consider strategies like pooled procurement, tiered pricing, and voluntary licensing to expand access.
Policy Relevance
The WHO’s guideline creates an immediate public health and pharmaceutical policy challenge for India. As a global pharmaceutical manufacturing hub, India must leverage its production capacity to address the affordability and equity concerns raised by the WHO. Policy must prioritize strategies—such as facilitating voluntary licensing and tiered pricing—to ensure these life-saving medicines are accessible to India’s low-income and vulnerable populations, thereby safeguarding against health disparities and the spread of counterfeit drugs.
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