Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and ongoing care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present best projected case, the production of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to increase access, through measures like patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their typical hunger resume.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
