Obesity is no longer a disease of the wealthy. Roughly 70 percent of people with obesity live in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), many of which struggle with limited access to treatments. In a major announcement, the Gates Foundation and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) are actively discussing how to bring powerful weight-loss drugs into these countries at affordable prices.
5 Key Facts About Obesity:
More than 1 billion people worldwide live with obesity, including 650M adults, 340M adolescents, and 39M children.
Global obesity rates have nearly tripled since 1975.
The global cost of obesity-related diseases exceeds $3 trillion annually.
Obesity raises the risk of NCDs like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, infertility, and multiple cancers.
Fewer than 2 percent of those affected receive medical or structured treatment for obesity.
“Weight-loss drugs have recently exploded in popularity, delivering dramatic and lasting results that older treatments never achieved, and gaining huge visibility through celebrities and social media hype.”
What’s going on?:
The active ingredient in Wegovy (semaglutide) will fall off patent in certain countries (including China and India) next year. Generic manufacturers are already working to produce lower-cost versions.
PAHO operates a pooled procurement fund for its 35 member states.
Bill Gates says he’s open to supporting clinical trials to test how weight-loss drugs perform in different populations, and using philanthropic backing to lower costs.
The Gates Foundation is currently focused on diseases like malaria, HIV, and childhood mortality. Obesity is not its top priority, but rising chronic illnesses are pushing it into new territory.
“We are starting the conversation,” said PAHO director Dr. Jarbas Barbosa, noting that his organization plans to talk with both branded and generic drugmakers about pricing and regulatory strategies.
Gates also says his foundation would “figure out how to make it SUPER, SUPER CHEAP so it can get to everyone in the world”, signaling that cost is the core barrier, not just approval.
What this really means is that the fight against obesity in poorer countries may now enter a phase where innovation, scale, and negotiation must combine. Weight loss drugs mau be more effective but only if they’re affordable and accessible.
