Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its first advice on the medications.
Given over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current best projected outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, via strategies such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, as their typical appetite resume.
To be above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
