Fewer than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it releases its initial guidance on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the current most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, through approaches including patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so people eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the treatment, as their normal hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for contracting health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
