Less than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial guidance on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to increase availability, by strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research indicates people may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the medication, when their normal hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for developing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
