Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected case, the supply of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through measures like licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, as their normal appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
