Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present best projected scenario, the supply of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by measures like voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual appetite return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
