Fewer than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand access, through strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
These medications mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the drug, when their usual food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
