Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its first recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the present most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Individuals usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research points to people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the medication, as their normal hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
