🔗 Share this article World Health Organization Issues Warning Over Severe Scarcity of Weight-Loss Medications Less than 10% of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications. Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to this class of drugs. Based on estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention. "Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the body. GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity Despite the current most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization. The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, by measures like licensing agreements. A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026. How Obesity Drugs Operate GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake. Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections. Studies suggests patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, when their normal food cravings return. To be carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies. Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
Less than 10% of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy can access them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications. Considering over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to this class of drugs. Based on estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention. "Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the body. GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity Despite the current most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, per the health organization. The advice calls on countries and companies to expand availability, by measures like licensing agreements. A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026. How Obesity Drugs Operate GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake. Patients usually see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections. Studies suggests patients may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the medication, when their normal food cravings return. To be carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies. Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.