Less than one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its first advice on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected case, the supply of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen access, by strategies like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Individuals usually start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research points to patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your risk for developing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
