Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its initial guidance on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major barriers to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic outlook, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
The injections replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance satiety so users eat less.
People typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies suggests users may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their normal food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
