Less than a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to expand availability, via measures including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, when their typical food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
