Under a tenth of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and continuous treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic case, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through measures such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Patients usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their typical food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
