Under one in 10 people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its first advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by measures like patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests users may put most of the weight back on a year later of halting the drug, when their typical hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
