Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to broad access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the current most optimistic case, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase availability, via approaches including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, because their usual appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
