Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key obstacles to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on governments and firms to widen availability, by strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
These medications replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may see weight return a year later of stopping the drug, as their normal hunger return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
