Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present best projected case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to widen availability, via measures such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, because their usual hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
