Under one in 10 people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs like Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it issues its first advice on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present best projected case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The advice urges countries and companies to increase access, via strategies like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people reduce food intake.
Patients typically see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates patients may see weight return a year later of stopping the medication, as their normal hunger return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
