Less than 10% of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its first advice on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable case, the supply of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, via strategies including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their normal food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
