WHO endorses Ozempic-style drugs for weight loss<\/a><\/p>\n Ozempic-style medications have been recommended as long-term treatments for obesity under new guidelines released by the World Health Organization.<\/p>\n It builds on previously published research<\/a> which found the drug had “consistent benefits” on preventing heart attacks, strokes, and death due to cardiovascular causes in those with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.<\/p>\n Katherine Tuttle, the lead researcher for the new analysis and professor of medicine at the University of Washington, described semaglutide as a “highly kidney protective therapy”.<\/p>\n “While reducing risks of major adverse cardiovascular events is paramount for people with heart disease or high heart disease risk, staying alive without the need for dialysis to sustain life is equally important,” she said.<\/p>\n “People with heart disease or high heart disease risk are more likely to remain alive, keep their kidney function, and stay off dialysis if they are treated with semaglutide.”<\/p>\n So, how does a drug developed to help people with type 2 diabetes and popularised as a weight-loss therapy help slow the progression of kidney disease?<\/p>\n GLP-1s and kidney disease<\/p>\n Ozempic is part of a class of drugs called GLP-1 receptor agonists, which were originally designed to help people with type 2 diabetes manage blood sugar levels.<\/p>\n These drugs mimic the activity of a natural hormone called glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1).<\/p>\n In recent years, GLP-1 mimicking medicines have gained popularity as weight-loss drugs<\/a> because they slow digestion and help people feel full for longer.<\/p>\n How Ozempic works in the brain to help people lose weight<\/a><\/p>\n People on Ozempic and other GLP-1 agonist drugs commonly report they no longer have constant, incessant thoughts about food.<\/p>\n James Tang, a kidney specialist and transplant physician at St Vincent’s Hospital who did not contribute to the study, said there were a few knowns and some unknowns about how semaglutide helped slow kidney disease progression.<\/p>\n First, Dr Tang explained that type 2 diabetes, chronic kidney disease, heart disease and obesity were all interconnected.<\/p>\n Thus, by easing the impact obesity and type 2 diabetes have on the body, there is a positive “flow-on effect” to the kidneys.<\/p>\n “A lot of kidney disease [treatment] is by treating the original cause,” he said.<\/p>\n “Mitigating progression of kidney disease would mean optimising things like your diabetes, your blood pressure, obesity and weight management.”<\/p>\n But in terms of the “exact mechanism” of how, or if, semaglutide alone improved kidney health, Dr Tang said more research was needed.<\/p>\n Chronic kidney disease is a blanket term for all conditions of the kidney which affect the filtration and removal of waste from the blood for three months or longer. (ABC News: Pat Rocca)<\/p>\n Dr Tang said patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease were at high risk of kidney failure, heart issues and premature death.<\/p>\n About 2.7 million Australian adults have biomedical signs of chronic kidney disease, according to the latest estimates<\/a>, although the condition is typically diagnosed in its advanced stages when symptoms start to show.<\/p>\n Last year, the Therapeutic Goods Administration approved the use of Ozempic to help reduce kidney disease progression in people with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease.<\/p>\n Study limitations and funding source<\/p>\n Professor Tuttle’s study used data from the FLOW (Evaluate Renal Function with Semaglutide Once Weekly) trial, which is funded by pharmaceutical company Novo Nordisk.<\/p>\n Novo Nordisk makes Ozempic and Wegovy.<\/p>\n Heart Foundation senior manager for healthcare programs and clinical strategy Natalie Raffoul, who is a registered pharmacist and did not contribute to the study, said this sponsorship was not a surprise.<\/p>\n “Almost all of the major clinical trials involving this class of [GLP-1] medicines have been financially sponsored by the pharmaceutical industry,” she said.<\/p>\n “This is standard for most medicines.”<\/p>\n Ms Raffoul said the conflict had been publicly declared and typically managed “through multiple layers of independent clinical and academic governance steering groups”.<\/p>\n GLP-1 receptor agonists can cost hundreds of dollars each month. (Flickr: Chemist 4 U)<\/p>\n Most of the FLOW trial’s participants were older, male and white, which Professor Tuttle conceded was a limitation.<\/p>\n “Yes, we would liked to have had more racial and ethnic diversity as well as more women in the study,” she said.<\/p>\n “We also wish the study had continued longer in order to have more statistical power for some of the secondary outcomes and subgroup analyses.”<\/p>\n Despite these limitations, Ms Raffoul and Dr Tang agreed the analysis was a sound study which contributed further evidence about potential benefit of semaglutide to high-risk populations.<\/p>\n GLP-1s and other health benefits<\/p>\n The Heart Foundation last month released new guidelines<\/a> to reduce obesity in people with established or a high risk of heart disease.<\/p>\n It recommended semaglutide be considered for weight loss in people with established cardiovascular disease, like a history of heart attacks, to reduce future risk.<\/p>\n Ms Raffoul described it as a timely move.<\/p>\n![\"Dialysis](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/9565fd87c170fb230d46158a13a257a3.jpeg\")
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