Fewer than a tenth of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and ongoing care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to expand access, through strategies such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase satiety so people eat less.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research points to patients may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the treatment, as their normal hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for contracting health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
