Under 10% of patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its first recommendations on the therapies.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present best projected case, the production of these medications could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen availability, via strategies including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the medication, because their normal appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
