Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the medication, because their usual food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
