Less than 10% of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first recommendations on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to universal availability to the injections that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the current best projected case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to widen access, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to users may see weight return after a year of halting the drug, when their normal food cravings resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
