Under 10% of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and ongoing care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to widen availability, through measures like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may see weight return within a year of stopping the medication, when their usual hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for developing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
