Less than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by measures including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests users may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the drug, because their normal food cravings resume.
To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
