Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the medications.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to universal availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand access, via strategies such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research suggests people may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, because their typical appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
