Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to expand availability, through approaches like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
These medications mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the medication, because their normal appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
