Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its first advice on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with thorough and continuous care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to universal availability to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current best projected case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to expand access, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
People commonly see weight reduction in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research points to people may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the drug, because their normal appetite resume.
To be carrying excess weight raises your risk for contracting diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
