Fewer than 10% of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and continuous treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the present most favorable scenario, the production of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice urges countries and companies to expand access, via approaches like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so users eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight 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, as their normal food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for experiencing diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
