Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it publishes its first guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and lifelong treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand availability, via approaches like voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication, as their normal food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
