Under a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the current best projected case, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, through measures including licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research indicates users may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the treatment, when their usual hunger return.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
