Overview

• The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to issue a conditional recommendation for GLP-1 receptor agonists like Wegovy and Ozempic as obesity treatments, with official guidelines expected in August 2025.
• WHO experts will meet next week to decide whether to include these drugs on the essential medicines list, a move that could expand access in low- and middle-income countries.
• Novo Nordisk has partnered with CVS Health and telehealth companies to offer Wegovy at a discounted price of $499 per month for uninsured or cash-paying U.S. customers.
• A CDC study linked semaglutide, the active ingredient in GLP-1 drugs, to nearly 25,000 emergency room visits in the U.S. due to side effects, highlighting the need for better patient education.
• Aon research shows that GLP-1 treatments reduce long-term healthcare costs by 7% and major cardiac events by 44% within two years, but high upfront costs remain a barrier for many.