Under one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it releases its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major barriers to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, via strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users eat less.
People usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may see weight return within a year of stopping the medication, because their usual food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
