Under a tenth of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its first recommendations on the therapies.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and ongoing treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic case, the supply of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to widen availability, via strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase satiety so people reduce food intake.
Individuals usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies points to users may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, because their typical hunger return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your chance for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
