Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can help people shift considerable weight, explains the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand access, by measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
People usually see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the drug, as their normal appetite come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
