Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the present most favorable case, the production of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Jabs Function
These medications imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
People typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the medication, when their normal appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
