Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the production of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen availability, by strategies like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Patients typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates users may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the treatment, when their usual appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
