Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first advice on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current best projected outlook, the production of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice urges countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
People commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence points to people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, when their normal hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
