Under 10% of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its first recommendations on the therapies.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to increase availability, by approaches such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their typical hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for contracting 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 fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
