Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to expand access, via approaches including voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research points to users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your chance for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
