Fewer than 10% of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current best projected scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, via measures such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, because their usual hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
