The Global Health Body Raises Warning Over Severe Scarcity of Obesity Medications
Fewer than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The advice encourages countries and companies to widen access, by strategies like voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in multiple countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
The injections imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies suggests users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the drug, when their normal hunger come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
