WHO considers adding obesity drug to list of ‘essential’ medicines

The logo of the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, November 22, 2017. REUTERS/File Photo

LONDON — A drug to fight obesity may be included on the World Health Organization’s (WHO) list of essential medicines for the first time, a United Nations agency told Reuters.

A WHO advisory committee will consider new requirements for drugs to be included next month, along with the update of the list of essential medicines scheduled for September.

Requests for consideration of anti-obesity drugs were submitted by three US physicians and one researcher. It covers the active ingredient liraglutide in Novo Nordisk’s obesity drug Saxenda, which will soon be out of patent, allowing for a cheaper generic version.

The panel can deny the request or wait for further evidence. WHO’s decision to include Saxenda and eventual generics in the list represents a new approach by health authorities to global obesity.

It is also possible that Novo Nordisk’s new, more potent treatment, Wegovy, will be recommended in low- and middle-income countries in the future.

However, some public health experts caution against the widespread introduction of such drugs as solutions to complex conditions that are not yet fully understood.

“Obesity is becoming an increasingly important health problem in many countries,” a WHO spokesperson said. “Of course, drugs to treat obesity are only one aspect of management, and prevention is also important.”

Expanding access

The WHO said an expert panel will review the evidence for liraglutide over the next few months.

According to WHO, more than 650 million adults worldwide are obese, more than triple the number in 1975, and about 1.3 billion more are overweight. The majority (70%) live in low- and middle-income countries.

Including an anti-obesity drug in the WHO’s list of essential medicines could have big implications for that population. It has become more widely available, he said.

“There are currently no drugs on the (list) that specifically target weight loss for the ongoing global burden of obesity,” said US researcher Sanjana Galimera of Yale New Haven Health. Dr. Sundeep Kishore of the University of California, writes. , San Francisco, and colleagues requested additions to WHO. It did not respond to Reuters’ request for comment.

They say the list includes mineral supplements for nutritional deficiencies, but they want to see the rising death toll in poorer countries where deaths are rising from weight-related illnesses such as heart disease and heart disease. Given the lack of weight loss treatment, it argues, it represents a “discord” in global health equity.Diabetes.

A once-daily injection, Saxenda costs $450 a month in the US and $150 a month in Europe and has been shown to help people lose 5% to 10% of their body weight.

used for diabetes

People using Wegovy, weekly injections costing more than $1,300 a month in the US, lost up to 15% of their weight. Wegovy is currently in short supply and Novo is prioritizing launching and selling in the US and other wealthy markets.

In a statement, the Danish pharmaceutical company said it was not involved in the application to consider liraglutide’s inclusion on the WHO list, adding that it “welcomes the WHO’s review and looks forward to its announcement and decision.” .

Both drugs belong to a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists that have been used for years to treat diabetes. They affect hunger signals to the brain, slowing the rate at which a person’s stomach empties, making them feel fuller for longer. Approval is imminent.

Long-term safety and efficacy data in obesity are lacking for both Saxenda and Wegovy. Studies show that people are likely to have to take medication for the rest of their lives to lose weight.

different approaches

High-income countries have different approaches to how these medicines are used. This includes considering whether it can be prescribed by government-sponsored health care programs or covered by insurance, similar to diabetes. In some countries their use is reserved for the most at-risk groups only.

Professor Zulfiqar Bhutta, an obesity expert at the University of Toronto, says we need a better understanding of the phenomenon of obesity in low- and middle-income countries in order to determine the best course of action.

“A continued commitment to prevention strategies and education, as well as gender-focused interventions, must take precedence over the use of obesity drugs whose safety and efficacy require more research. ” he said.

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