Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the present most favorable case, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via strategies such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the drug, as their usual appetite resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
