Fewer than a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen access, through approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Patients typically see weight reduction after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence indicates people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the drug, when their normal hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your chance for developing medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
