Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it issues its first recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen access, by measures including voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research indicates people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, because their normal food cravings come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
