Under one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and continuous care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to increase access, through measures including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their typical food cravings resume.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
