Fewer than 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via strategies including patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
These medications replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies points to users may see weight return after a year of halting the medication, as their normal appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for developing diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in all nations and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
