WHO backs weight-loss drugs

The World Health Organization recommended a range of blockbuster weight-loss drugs to treat diabetes and obesity globally for the first time on Friday, calling for cheap generic versions to be made available for people in developing countries.

The new generation of appetite-suppressing drugs called GLP-1 agonists — which include the brands Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro — have exploded in popularity due to their ability to help people significantly lose weight.

More than 3.7 million people died from illnesses related to being overweight or obese in 2021 according to WHO figures — more than top infectious killers malaria, tuberculosis and HIV combined.

However the sky-high prices of GLP-1 drugs have raised concerns they will not be made available in poorer nations where they could save the most lives.

On Friday, the WHO added semaglutide and the tirzepatide used in US company Eli Lilly's Mounjaro to its list of essential medicines for adults worldwide.