Under 10% of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable case, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to increase access, through approaches such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
The injections replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to people may see weight return after a year of stopping the medication, when their normal appetite return.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
