Less than 10% of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of these medications could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to increase availability, via approaches including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users eat less.
Individuals usually see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research indicates people may see weight return within a year of halting the drug, because their usual food cravings resume.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
