Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to expand access, via approaches including voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so users eat less.
People usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, as their normal food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your chance for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
