Fewer than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to increase availability, through measures like patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so users reduce food intake.
People commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, when their usual hunger return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your chance for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
