Fewer than 10% of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
With over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable scenario, the supply of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to widen availability, via approaches like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost satiety so users consume fewer calories.
People commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the drug, when their normal hunger resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
