Under a tenth of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to increase availability, via strategies including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Function
These medications imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance satiety so users reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, when their typical food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
