Fewer than a tenth of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to universal access to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable case, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen access, via strategies including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
The injections imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their normal appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
