A note seen by Reuters showed that the World Health Organization intends to support the use of weight loss medications to officially treat obesity for adults for the first time, and this represents a shift in its approach to the treatment of this global health problem.
The United Nations agency also called for strategies to improve opportunities to obtain treatment in low and medium -income countries.
The organization’s data indicates that more than a billion people are now obese around the world, and the World Bank estimates that about 70% of them live in low and medium -income countries.
Common obesity drugs, such as Wigofi, are manufactured by Novo Nordsk and Zeep Pound manufactured by Elay Lily, as the GLB-1 receptor doping that simulates a hormone activity that slows the digestion and helps to feel full for a longer period.
In clinical experiments, the participants lost between 15 and 20% of their weights, depending on the type of medicine.
These medications were first presented in the United States at a monthly cost of more than a thousand dollars, and they still cost hundreds of dollars in high -income countries. Studies indicate that people may have to take these medications for the rest of their lives to maintain their weight.
“The World Health Organization has been working since 2022 on a set of new recommendations to prevent obesity and treat them in different age groups, in children, adolescents and adults,” said a spokesman for the World Health Organization via e -mail.
He added that the recommendations for medicines, which will be completed by August or September this year, will include “how and timing of this group of medicines as part of a continuous care model that includes clinical interventions and lifestyle interference.”
Elay Lily said on Friday that it is committed to expanding global access to its medications without providing further details.
Novo Nordsek did not respond to a request for comment.