Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its first advice on the therapies.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
