Diabetes And Obesity – WHO Updates Core Essential Medicines List,Charting A New Direction-www.china-sinoway.com

Diabetes and Obesity – WHO Updates Core Essential Medicines List, Charting a New Direction

Nov 18, 2025

Diabetes and obesity have emerged as two of the most urgent health challenges facing the world today. A staggering 800 million people were living with diabetes in 2022, with half remaining untreated. Concurrently, over 1 billion people worldwide are affected by obesity, and rates are rising with particular speed in low- and middle-income countries. These two closely interrelated conditions are significant drivers of serious health complications, including heart disease and kidney failure.

Breakthrough Therapies: GLP-1-based Agents Receive WHO Endorsement

Based on a robust body of scientific evidence, the WHO Expert Committee has formally endorsed a class of innovative medicines—GLP-1 receptor agonists—for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. These therapies are particularly beneficial for patients with established cardiovascular or kidney disease, offering multiple advantages: they not only provide effective blood glucose control but also significantly reduce the risk of heart and kidney complications, support weight loss, and even lower the risk of premature death.

Key Updates to the Essential Medicines List and Clinical Value

The latest WHO Essential Medicines List (EML) now includes three GLP-1 receptor agonists—semaglutide, dulaglutide, and liraglutide—as well as the dual GLP-1/GIP receptor agonist tirzepatide. These agents are indicated for adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus who have established cardiovascular disease or chronic kidney disease and also have obesity (defined as a Body Mass Index ≥ 30 kg/m²).

Distinct Therapeutic Advantages of Individual Agents

Semaglutide demonstrates robust evidence for cardiovascular protection, significantly reducing the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, while also showing powerful glucose-lowering and weight-loss efficacy. Its once-weekly dosing regimen greatly enhances patient adherence.
Tirzepatide, as a dual receptor agonist, demonstrates superior efficacy in lowering blood glucose, showing greater efficacy than other glucose-lowering drugs in the SURPASS clinical trials. Its weight-loss effects are equally remarkable, making it an ideal option for patients with diabetes and obesity.
Dulaglutide has proven effective in reducing cardiovascular event risk in the REWIND cardiovascular outcomes trial, with significant benefits particularly observed in secondary prevention populations. Its convenient once-weekly administration is favored by both clinicians and patients.
Liraglutide, an established agent in this class, possesses solid evidence for cardiovascular benefit, demonstrating significant reductions in the risk of stroke, myocardial infarction, and cardiovascular death.

Multifaceted Benefits of Breakthrough Therapies

The core value of these innovative drugs lies in their multi-faceted mechanism of benefit. Beyond excellent glycemic control, they also promote weight loss by suppressing appetite and delaying gastric emptying, which is particularly important for patients with diabetes and obesity. More notably, they demonstrate organ-protective effects that extend beyond traditional glucose-lowering medications, particularly for the heart and kidneys, offering comprehensive health improvements.

Tags : Semaglutide tirzepatide liraglutide

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