Less than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to expand availability, through measures like patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their usual hunger resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
