Under one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the present most favorable scenario, the manufacturing 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 countries and companies to expand availability, via strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
People commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their usual hunger come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
