Less than 10% of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of such drugs would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, via approaches including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the drug, when their typical hunger return.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for contracting diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
