Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to expand access, via approaches such as patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates people may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, when their normal appetite return.
To be carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
