Under one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and continuous support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by approaches including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Operate
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so users eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, as their usual hunger come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
