Less than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by measures including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so users reduce food intake.
People commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the drug, when their normal hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
