Fewer than a tenth of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its initial recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to widen access, by measures such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, as their typical food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight increases your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
