Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial recommendations on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen availability, through measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People typically start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return after a year of stopping the medication, when their typical appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
