Under 10% of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to increase access, via measures such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return within a year of stopping the drug, as their typical food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
