Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to increase availability, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the medication, when their typical food cravings resume.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
