Under one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the present most favorable case, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by measures like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the medication, because their usual appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your risk for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
