Less than one in 10 patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, states the WHO as it issues its initial recommendations on the medications.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major barriers to widespread access to the jabs that can help people shift considerable body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Despite the current most optimistic case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase availability, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in several nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Function
The injections replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the drug, as their normal hunger return.
To be carrying excess weight raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in every country and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
