Under 10% of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous care," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to increase availability, via strategies like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
The injections mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the medication, as their usual appetite return.
To be above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
