Under 10% of patients that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major hurdles to widespread availability to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline calls on countries and companies to expand availability, by measures including patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, as their usual food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
