Fewer than a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to broad availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the present best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to expand availability, via approaches such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research suggests users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their typical food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
