Less than one in 10 people that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current best projected outlook, the supply of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on countries and companies to increase availability, via approaches including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence points to people may see weight return within a year of stopping the drug, as their typical food cravings resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
