Under 10% of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase access, via strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users reduce food intake.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research indicates people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the drug, because their typical hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.