WHO backs weight-loss drugs, urges cheap generics | News

PARIS, Sept 5, 2025 (BSS/AFP) - 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, which can cost over $1,000 a...