The World Health Organization (WHO) has added vital treatments for cancer, diabetes, and obesity to its Essential Medicines Lists — a move that will make groundbreaking therapies more widely available worldwide.
“The new editions of essential medicines lists mark a significant step toward expanding access to new medicines with proven clinical benefits and with high potential for global public health impact,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for Health Systems, Access and Data.
The 2025 update includes 20 new medicines for adults and 15 for children, alongside seven new indications for the use of existing drugs. The lists now feature a total of 523 essential medicines for adults and 374 for children. Among the additions are innovative GLP-1 therapies for type 2 diabetes, rapid-acting insulin analogues, and new cancer treatments such as those targeting breast and lung cancers. By expanding access to these proven therapies, WHO aims to close treatment gaps and help millions more people live longer, healthier lives.
