Under 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, more than two billion could be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to broad availability to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present best projected outlook, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to increase availability, by strategies such as licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the treatment, when their typical appetite return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
