Under 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and continuous treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, via measures like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research points to users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual hunger return.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
