Fewer than a tenth of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the current best projected case, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to expand availability, by measures like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to users may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their normal appetite return.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
