The World Health Organization (WHO) is moving toward a major policy shift. It is recommending the use of weight-loss drugs to treat obesity in adults. According to its newly released draft guidance, the agency emphasized that obesity should no longer be seen as a mere lifestyle issue but as a “chronic, progressive, and relapsing disease.” This recognition is key, as more than 1 billion people worldwide are affected by obesity, with the condition contributing to millions of preventable deaths each year.

The WHO noted that outdated attitudes have often shaped the response to obesity, leading to stigma and under-treatment. By framing obesity as a chronic disease, the draft guidelines aim to ensure that patients receive proper medical attention rather than being told to simply “eat less and exercise more.”

GLP-1 Drugs Enter the Spotlight

Central to the draft recommendations are the now widely discussed GLP-1 drugs. Originally developed for type 2 diabetes, medications from Novo Nordisk and Eli Lilly have shown strong results in supporting long-term weight loss. The WHO’s expert committee concluded that these drugs can be part of the solution, especially for patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or above.

The guidance stresses that the drugs are not meant to replace lifestyle interventions but rather to be used alongside counselling on diet, exercise, and behavior modification. This combination, the agency says, offers the best chance for sustainable weight management.

A First Step Toward Global Standards

For the first time, WHO is recommending these medications specifically for obesity treatment, describing it as a critical step toward building a global standard of care. The draft is open for consultation until September 27, allowing experts and the public to weigh in before final approval.

It also makes clear that further work is underway. Separate guidelines for children and adolescents are being developed, reflecting growing concern over rising obesity rates among younger populations.

Varying Thresholds Across Countries

While WHO’s draft guidance sets the BMI threshold at 30 for treatment, policies in other countries sometimes differ. In the United States, for instance, GLP-1 drugs may be prescribed to patients with a BMI between 27 and 30 if they also suffer from at least one weight-related health condition, such as hypertension or sleep apnea. This variation highlights the ongoing debate over who should qualify for these expensive treatments and at what stage of the disease.

Essential Medicines List: A Missed Inclusion

Earlier this year, WHO stopped short of adding these drugs to its essential medicines list for obesity treatment, which would have signalled their importance as universally accessible therapies. Instead, the organization included them only for type 2 diabetes patients with additional health conditions.

The decision reflects a careful balance: while the drugs are promising, their high cost remains a major barrier. In low- and middle-income countries, access is limited, raising concerns about global equity. WHO acknowledged that pricing remains a significant hurdle and stressed the need for broader affordability if the treatments are to make a real difference worldwide.

If finalized, the guidelines could reshape how obesity is addressed in healthcare systems globally. By formally recommending drug therapy alongside lifestyle interventions, WHO is pushing governments to rethink policies, insurance coverage, and patient access.

The move also signals a broader cultural change, recognizing obesity not as a personal failing but as a complex disease that requires medical solutions. For millions struggling with obesity, this shift could mean new hope, better treatment options, and a future where their condition is taken seriously at every level of care.

Malfunctioning glucose sensors made by Abbott Diabetes Care have been tied to more than seven hundred serious medical events and seven possible deaths, according to updates from both Abbott and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company issued a public notice on November 24 and sent letters to those who may be affected, explaining that it had begun a “medical device correction” for select FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensors.

On December 2, the FDA released an early safety communication, which is the type of alert shared when a product is corrected or removed because of a significant risk before the agency can determine whether an official recall is necessary.

FDA: Seven Deaths Possibly Linked To Malfunctioning Glucose Monitors

Some FreeStyle Libre 3 sensors may show falsely low blood sugar levels, which can lead people with diabetes to make treatment choices that are not appropriate for their actual condition. When someone’s glucose appears low, they might delay their insulin dose or skip it altogether, or they may eat more carbohydrates in an effort to raise their levels, as noted by USA Today.

When treatment decisions are based on incorrect readings, blood sugar can quickly become unstable. Poor glucose control can result in dangerous medical complications, including injury or even death. Problems linked to mismanaged diabetes can include diabetic ketoacidosis, heart issues, stroke, kidney damage, nerve and eye problems, and a higher chance of infection.

USA Today reports that the issue affects nearly three million Libre 3 and Libre 3 Plus sensors sold in the United States, and Abbott estimates that roughly half of them have already been used or have expired. Worldwide, the company has received 736 reports of severe adverse events (57 in the U.S.) and seven reports of deaths (none in the U.S.) that may be associated with this problem.

Which Abbott Diabetes Care Products Are Impacted?

Only specific FreeStyle Libre 3 and FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems are affected. The FreeStyle Libre 3 handheld reader and mobile app are working normally.

No other Libre devices (FreeStyle Libre 14-day, FreeStyle Libre 2, FreeStyle Libre 2 Plus, or the FreeStyle Libre Pro sensors) or Abbott biowearable products are involved.

FreeStyle Libre 3 Sensor

• Model Numbers: 72081-01, 72080-01
• Unique Device Identifiers (UDI-DI): 00357599818005, 00357599819002

FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus Sensor

• Model Numbers: 78768-01, 78769-01
• Unique Device Identifiers (UDI-DI): 00357599844011, 00357599843014

The serial number for a FreeStyle Libre 3 or FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus sensor is available in the app or reader, and it is also printed on the label at the bottom of the sensor applicator or on the carton. Consumers who are wearing a sensor that has been confirmed as part of the affected group should stop using it at once and safely discard it.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s vaccine advisory committee will meet on Thursday and Friday to review the childhood vaccination schedule, look at adjuvants and possible contaminants, and revisit hepatitis B immunisation guidance.

This will be the third gathering this year of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) after Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. dismissed all 17 former members and brought in his own choices, many of whom have openly questioned long-standing vaccine policies.

It is also the first meeting since ACIP chair Martin Kulldorff, a former Harvard Medical School professor, accepted a permanent job at HHS. Pediatric cardiologist and former U.S. Air Force flight surgeon Dr. Kirk Milhoan will lead the committee during this session.

Hepatitis B: CDC Vaccine Advisory Committee Meeting

The latest battle in the US’ growing political, cultural, and scientific debate over vaccines will unfold inside a CDC meeting room in Atlanta later this week.

There, a key CDC advisory group — now entirely appointed by Kennedy who will vote on proposals that could significantly change long-accepted guidance meant to shield newborns from hepatitis B, a virus known to cause liver cancer.

The two-day ACIP meeting comes shortly after Kennedy instructed the CDC to alter language on its website, downplaying the agency’s long-standing statement that vaccines do not cause autism, even though extensive research has repeatedly found no connection.

Here is what public health experts say they will be watching during this week’s meeting, which will be livestreamed on Thursday and Friday.

Hepatitis B: Votes May Delay Or Limit Babies’ Protection Against Hepatitis B

According to the meeting agenda, Thursday’s discussions and votes will centre on major changes to hepatitis B guidance. Overnight, the committee released draft wording for two recommendations.

As per CNN, the first proposal would shift the current universal recommendation for newborn hepatitis B vaccination to an “individual-based decision” made by parents and a healthcare provider for babies born to mothers who test negative for the virus or whose status is unknown.

The language also gives parents and clinicians the freedom to “decide when or if their child will begin the HBV series.”

The second vote concerns draft wording that encourages parents to talk with clinicians about blood tests to check immunity levels before later hepatitis B doses. The draft states that insurance should cover these tests.

Currently, all newborns are advised to receive the vaccine shortly after birth to protect against infection from an undetected maternal case and from close contacts who may unknowingly carry the virus.

Committee members have previously urged better hepatitis B screening during pregnancy, while others have questioned whether only high-risk infants should get the vaccine.

Hepatitis B: How Contagious Is It?

Hepatitis B is highly contagious. It spreads through contact with infected blood and bodily fluids, often from people with no symptoms. While it can be passed during birth, through sex, or shared needles, it can also spread through shared items found in many homes: nail clippers, toothbrushes, and even certain pieces of jewellery.

Childhood And Adolescent Immunisation Schedule

It is not yet clear what parts of the schedule will be reviewed. The early agenda listed this topic for Friday without details. The final agenda shows that attorney Aaron Siri, a close adviser to Kennedy, will speak on this.

Critics, including Kennedy, have raised questions about the number of vaccines children receive and the timing between doses.

Discussion of “Adjuvants And Contaminants” In Vaccines

According to ABC News, the draft agenda included a Friday session on adjuvants and contaminants. The final programme describes the talk as examining aluminium exposure from vaccines before 24 months and rates of persistent asthma between ages 24 and 59 months.

Aluminum salts are used in several vaccines — including diphtheria, tetanus, acellular pertussis, hepatitis A, and hepatitis B—to strengthen the immune response, according to CNN.

The ACIP meeting also follows last week’s internal FDA memo claiming that Covid-19 vaccines may be connected to the deaths of ten children. Lakshmanan, O’Leary, and others say the committee could raise the issue during the discussions.

US President Donald Trump was seen struggling to stay alert several times during a three-hour Cabinet meeting on Tuesday. Footage showed the 79-year-old president narrowing his eyes again and again and briefly closing them fully, even as Cabinet officials spoke about their work and praised his leadership.

At one point, he appeared to drift off while Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick addressed the room before shifting forward to reply. His tired look followed a long night on Truth Social, where he posted more than 160 times between 7 p.m. and midnight on Monday and resumed posting shortly before 6 a.m. on Tuesday, which added to the growing discussion around his health.

Donald Trump Appears to Fight Sleep During Televised Cabinet Meeting

President Donald Trump seemed to lose focus multiple times during the Dec. 2 Cabinet meeting. He repeatedly narrowed his eyes and, at one moment, kept them fully closed as his team outlined their achievements and spoke in his praise. While Howard Lutnick shared an update on the Commerce Department, Trump kept his eyes shut for several seconds before leaning in to answer him.

The president’s drained appearance followed a night of heavy activity on Truth Social, where he uploaded more than 160 posts from early evening to midnight on Dec. 1. He returned to the platform by 5:48 a.m. the next morning.

When PEOPLE reached out for comment, the White House shared a statement from press secretary Karoline Leavitt. She said, “President Trump was listening closely and leading the three-hour Cabinet meeting,” before repeating a recent administration claim that Somali immigrants do not belong in Minnesota.

She continued, “Watch his strong closing remarks in the press conference, where he called out America-Last Democrats for allowing radical Somali migrants to take advantage of American taxpayers.” She said that this moment captured the energy of Trump’s ninth Cabinet meeting of his second term, all of which have been fully open to the press.

“In each of these meetings,” she added, “the President and his team lay out the long list of accomplishments they have delivered for the American people to Make America Great Again.” Last year, Trump rejected reports that he had fallen asleep during his criminal trial in New York. Multiple outlets had described him slipping into brief naps, with The New York Times noting, “Mr. Trump appeared to nod off a few times, his mouth going slack and his head drooping onto his chest,” which Trump denied.

Donald Trump Health Questions Surge As He Was Caught Sleeping

Donald Trump is once again facing scrutiny over his health after a new video showed him looking sleepy during a Cabinet meeting. His slow eye movements and long pauses with his eyes shut set off fresh conversations online. A separate photograph from Mar-a-Lago, where he appeared with his eyes closed and mouth open, fuelled more worry.

As per PEOPLE, at the same time, an image of Joe Biden looking lively during a walk in Nantucket led to a wave of side-by-side comparisons on social media. The White House maintains that Trump remains in “excellent health”, pointing to recent tests, though his unclear remarks about undergoing an MRI have added to public questions. With both leaders under a microscope, discussions about presidential fitness have returned with new intensity.

Donald Trump MRI Scan Results

The White House on Monday released details from Donald Trump’s MRI, which he completed last month as concerns about his health continued. In a statement, Navy Captain Sean Barbabella, the physician to the president, outlined the results of Trump’s advanced imaging. He said the scan focused on Trump’s heart and abdominal region, showed no issues, and confirmed that the president is in “excellent health”. This type of preventive testing is common for men in his age group.

Even so, with this being his second MRI this year, speculation has grown about whether Trump is dealing with any health problems, and the recent moment where he seemed to fall asleep has heightened that speculation.