Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the present most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, through strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the treatment, when their usual appetite come back.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
