Less than one in 10 people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and ongoing care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable case, the supply of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to expand availability, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies indicates people may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their usual appetite resume.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for contracting health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
