Fewer than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic outlook, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to expand access, through approaches like licensing agreements.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
The injections replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence indicates people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the medication, when their normal appetite resume.
Being carrying excess weight elevates your chance for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
