Fewer than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and ongoing care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the present best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to widen access, via measures such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to people may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, because their usual appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for developing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
