Less than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable case, the production of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to widen availability, through approaches including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals eat less.
People typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, because their typical food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
