Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first advice on the medications.
Given over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal access to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to widen access, via strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
People usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects people in every country and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
