Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial advice on the medications.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current most optimistic case, the production of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to expand access, through measures including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the treatment, when their normal food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight increases your chance for developing diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
