WHO Releases Landmark Guideline on GLP-1 Medicines for Obesity

On December 1, 2025, the World Health Organization (WHO) issued its first-ever global guideline for the use of Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists in treating obesity, a disease affecting over one billion people worldwide. This marks a significant policy shift, formally recognizing obesity as a chronic, relapsing condition that requires comprehensive medical management. “WHO defines obesity as having a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 or higher in adults.”

Core Recommendations

The guideline presents two key conditional recommendations:

1. Use of GLP-1 Therapies: Medicines such as semaglutide, liraglutide and tirzepatide may be used for the long-term treatment of obesity in adults (excluding pregnant women). The "conditional" label reflects significant concerns, including limited long-term safety data, high costs, inadequate health-system preparedness, and the potential to worsen global health inequities.

2. Mandatory Comprehensive Care: These drugs must not be used in isolation. They should be prescribed alongside intensive behavioral interventions, including structured support for healthy diets and regular physical activity, to enhance treatment outcomes.

Critical Context and Warnings

The guideline forcefully states that medication alone will not solve the global obesity crisis. WHO emphasizes that obesity is both an individual and societal challenge requiring a fundamental reorientation of health systems based on three pillars:

1. Creating healthier environments through population-level policies.

2. Protecting high-risk individuals with screening and early intervention.

3. Ensuring access to lifelong, person-centered care.

Major Implementation Challenges

WHO outlines severe barriers to equitable access:

Supply and Equity: Even with increased production, fewer than 10% of people who could benefit are projected to have access by 2030. The guideline warns that without deliberate policies—such as tiered pricing and pooled procurement—these therapies could exacerbate existing health disparities.

Safety Concerns: The global demand has fueled a dangerous market of falsified and substandard products. WHO stresses the need for regulated distribution, strong oversight, and patient education to ensure safety.

In summary, the WHO guideline endorses GLP-1 medicines as a breakthrough treatment but frames them strictly as one component of a much broader, systemic strategy needed to address the obesity pandemic, while urgently calling for action to overcome cost and equity barriers.

Related Articles:
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2. Ozempic, Wegovy & Mounjaro: GLP-1 Drugs for Weight Loss & Diabetes
3. TGA Warns: Mental Health & Contraception Risks with GLP-1 Drugs

Source:
https://www.who.int/news/item/01-12-2025-who-issues-global-guideline-on-the-use-of-glp-1-medicines-in-treating-obesity