3 Things Looking back at 2025: Health developments that mattered most
Dec 30, 2025
Anonna Dutt, a health reporter for The Indian Express, dives into significant health trends from 2025. She discusses WHO's reclassification of obesity and the implications for treatment. Dutt reveals the introduction of weight-loss drugs like semaglutide in India and their impact on accessibility. The conversation shifts to AI in healthcare, exploring innovations that enhance TB detection and support telemedicine. Finally, she emphasizes the health risks of air pollution and necessary long-term solutions.
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Reserve GLP-1s For Clinical Need
- Avoid casual or cosmetic use of GLP-1 drugs and reserve them for people with high BMI or obesity-related conditions after lifestyle efforts fail.
- Use these drugs as add-ons after sustained lifestyle interventions and not as first-line cosmetic solutions.
Stopping Drugs Often Means Weight Returns
- Evidence shows weight often returns when GLP-1 therapy stops, though not always to baseline; maintenance strategies remain unclear.
- Ongoing studies must define if tapering or lifelong treatment is necessary, likening obesity management to chronic diseases like diabetes.
Patent Expiry Will Improve Access
- Patent expiry for semaglutide in 2026 is likely to open the Indian market to generics and drastically reduce prices, improving access.
- Historical patterns suggest generic diabetes drugs can drop to roughly 10% of patented costs once patents end.