Fewer than 10% of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it issues its first guidance on the therapies.
With over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong care," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the production of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to widen availability, through strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the medication, because their usual hunger return.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
