Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to expand access, through approaches including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return within a year of halting the treatment, because their normal hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
