Less than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic outlook, the production of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to widen access, by measures including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
People commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the medication, as their usual food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
