Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad access to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to expand access, through measures such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the medication, because their usual food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
