Under a tenth of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to increase access, via measures like licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the treatment, when their usual appetite come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for developing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
