Fewer than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant hurdles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current best projected scenario, the production of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to widen access, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, when their normal food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
