Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and lifelong care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current best projected scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by measures such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and enhance satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the medication, when their normal hunger resume.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts people in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
