Under one in 10 patients who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it issues its first recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and continuous care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation urges countries and companies to increase availability, by strategies like voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals reduce food intake.
Individuals usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates patients may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, when their usual appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
