Weight loss drugs absent in WHO’s latest essential medicines list; includes heart ‘polypills’

As per an official report published on Wednesday, medications for obesity were not included in the updated list.

During their meeting in April, the WHO review committee evaluated over 100 therapeutics and proposed the addition of 24 medicines for adults and 12 for children to the Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML) and Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc), CNN reported.

WHO said, “A total of 32 applications were not recommended including, glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists for weight loss in obesity, risdiplam for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy, donepezil for the treatment of dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease, CAR-T cell therapies for lymphoma and fast-acting oral transmucosal fentanyl for breakthrough cancer pain.”

As per the report, with the recent additions, the total number of medications listed on the Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML) and Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc) has now reached 502 and 361, respectively.

Updated biennially, the Model Lists of Essential Medicines (EML) and Essential Medicines for Children (EMLc) serve as registries of medications that the WHO deems necessary for every healthcare system to possess, CNN reported.

These lists are widely acknowledged as valuable references for countries’ health systems, aiding them in prioritizing effective and affordable medications. Each newly added medicine is regarded by WHO as “essential” in addressing critical public health requirements.

“Essential medicines are those that satisfy the priority health care needs of a population. They are intended to be available in functioning health systems at all times, in appropriate dosage forms, of assured quality and at prices individuals and health systems can afford,” the report noted.

WHO further noted that the 2023 list of essential medicines now includes medications for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), a chronic and potentially life-threatening nervous system disease that impacts approximately 2.8 million individuals worldwide. The updated guidelines encompass three medications specifically aimed at slowing the progression of MS.

Among the medications included in the updated WHO guidelines, rituximab stands out as it is traditionally used for treating certain cancers and autoimmune diseases.

However, the guidelines suggest off-label use for multiple sclerosis (MS) due to compelling evidence of its effectiveness and safety in treating the condition.

While the WHO rejected the inclusion of certain patented cancer medications due to concerns about their high cost, they did incorporate two cancer treatments into the list. One of these medications targets Kaposi sarcoma, a cancer that causes skin and gastrointestinal tract lesions, while the other focuses on improving white blood cell production and reducing the toxic effects of certain cancer medicines on the bone marrow.

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Additionally, the updated guidelines introduce ceftolozane and tazobactam, a combination antibiotic employed for treating multidrug-resistant bacteria, and also feature monoclonal antibodies designed to combat Ebola.

The Essential Medicines List does not include GLP-1 receptor agonists, which are commonly found in medications used for diabetes and obesity, such as Ozempic and Wegovy.

Around the world, more than 150 countries use the WHO Model Lists to guide decisions about which medicines represent the best value for money, based on evidence and health impact.

Updated: 28 Jul 2023, 09:13 AM IST