Less than one in 10 people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on governments and firms to increase access, by measures such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals usually see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the treatment, as their usual food cravings resume.
To be overweight or obese raises your risk for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
