Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from obesity jabs like Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and continuous care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the current best projected case, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, by strategies including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost satiety so people eat less.
Patients commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests patients may see weight return a year later of halting the drug, as their normal hunger come back.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
