Under a tenth of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and continuous treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the injections that can help people shift considerable weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to expand access, via strategies like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their normal hunger resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
