Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to widen availability, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people eat less.
Individuals typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies indicates patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the treatment, when their usual appetite come back.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for developing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
