Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present best projected outlook, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to expand access, via strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the treatment, as their usual hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your risk for developing health problems, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
