Under a tenth of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen access, by strategies such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so users eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the treatment, as their normal hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
