Rhiannon Ingle
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued an urgent warning over weight loss drugs, with the first guidance now released.
There are now more than one billion people across the globe who are classified as obese - that's an eighth of the entire world's population.
Popularity for the weight loss drugs has surged in recent years, with the WHO now calling for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication after finding that fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from such jabs will be able to access them under current projections.
According to the intergovernmental organisation, the number of people with obesity will double, climbing to a staggering two billion by 2030, unless action is taken.
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WHO has outlined several key barriers to universal access to the drugs, including high costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints.
To combat this, the WHO has already added the medication to its 'essential' medicines list for overweight patients with diabetes, which countries are advised to provide.
The drugs can be taken long-term, for six months or more, but must be prescribed along with advice on diet and exercise.
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care.
"While medication alone won't solve this global health crisis, GLP-1 therapies can help millions overcome obesity and reduce its associated harms."
The organisation also noted that these weight loss drugs, which come with a number of side effects, convey a gradual shift in how we as a society perceive obesity - from a 'lifestyle condition' to a treatable chronic disease.
"Our greatest concern is equitable access," said Tedros, with WHO stating that with the current best projected scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people, which makes up less than 10 percent of those who need them.
The WHO's latest guideline urges both governments and industry to widen access through methods like voluntary licensing, where a drug maker lets others produce lower-cost, non-brand versions of a patented medicine.
The patent on semaglutide, the key ingredient in Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, is set to lapse in several countries in 2026. Once it does, manufacturers in India, Canada, China, Brazil and Turkey will be able to offer cheaper alternatives.
The WHO also stresses the need for healthier environments that support wellbeing and help prevent obesity.
GLP-1 drugs work by mimicking the natural hormone glucagon-like peptide-1 to help lower blood sugar and aid in weight loss. They increase insulin release from the pancreas, reduce the amount of sugar your liver produces and slow the emptying of your stomach which, in turn, helps you feel fuller for longer.
Suppressing appetite leads to reduced calorie intake and, eventually, weight loss.