NEW YORK – World Health Organization (WHO) officially added GLP-1 weight loss medications like Novo Nordisk’s Ozempic and Mounjaro to its Essential Medicines List in what is said to be major step toward making these expensive treatments accessible in third world countries.
The list includes high-profile therapies such as Vertex’s Trikafta for cystic fibrosis and Merck’s blockbuster cancer drug Keytruda for cervical, colorectal, and metastatic lung cancers, highlighting WHO’s push to expand access to life-saving medicines.
As of 2025, over 800 million people struggle with diabetes, and over 1 billion are affected by obesity worldwide. WHO emphasized that high prices have kept these drugs out of reach for many—but the updated list could change that, especially in underserved regions.
“Prioritizing patients who will benefit most, encouraging generic competition, and bringing treatments to primary care centers are key to saving lives,” said WHO.
Essential Medicines List now features 523 drugs for adults and 374 for children, serving as a global benchmark for health systems in over 150 countries.
Experts say this move could revolutionize treatment access, making some of the world’s most coveted medicines more widely available than ever before.
