Under 10% of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and ongoing treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the present most favorable case, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The recommendation encourages governments and firms to expand availability, through measures such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may see weight return a year later of stopping the medication, as their typical food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
