Fewer than 10% of individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to widespread availability to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current best projected outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on governments and firms to widen availability, by strategies such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so people eat less.
People usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
