Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide now obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected case, the supply of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
The injections replicate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence points to users may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the medication, because their normal food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
