Essential Medicines List Now Includes Weight-Loss GLP-1 Drugs, Announces WHO
The World Health Organization (WHO) made a landmark decision on Friday, adding GLP-1 receptor agonists, including Ozempic and Mounjaro, to its Essential Medicines List for treating diabetes. This influential list serves as a framework for over 150 countries, guiding them in prioritizing drug procurement and insurance coverage. The move could potentially improve global access to these costly medications.
The WHO specifically approved semaglutide, dulaglutide, liraglutide, and tirzepatide for adults with type 2 diabetes who also have cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, or obesity (BMI ≥ 30kg/m²). While these drugs gained fame for their weight loss benefits, their inclusion in the list primarily focuses on diabetes management with associated comorbidities.
“High prices of medicines like semaglutide and tirzepatide are limiting access,” the WHO stated, emphasizing that encouraging generic competition could help lower costs when patents expire next year.
The cost of these drugs can exceed $1,000 per month, making them largely inaccessible in developing countries where over 800 million people live with diabetes. This designation by the WHO aims to catalyze broader access and potentially drive down prices through increased competition.
Source: WHO