Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the production of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice encourages governments and firms to expand availability, via measures such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so users eat less.
People typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates patients may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the medication, when their usual food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your likelihood for experiencing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
