Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to widen access, by approaches including patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so users consume fewer calories.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the drug, when their typical appetite return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
