Fewer than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges governments and firms to increase availability, through measures such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
People usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese raises your likelihood for developing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
