Less than 10% of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and continuous support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread availability to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present best projected outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to expand access, via approaches such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people eat less.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may see weight return a year later of halting the treatment, when their usual food cravings return.
Being above a healthy weight raises your risk for contracting diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
