Less than 10% of patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial guidance on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to widen access, through measures including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates users may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the drug, as their typical appetite return.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
