Less than one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial advice on the medications.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the production of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages countries and companies to widen access, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, when their normal appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
