Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and continuous support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant hurdles to universal availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the present best projected scenario, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to expand availability, via approaches such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies indicates people may see weight return after a year of halting the treatment, as their usual appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
