Fewer than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from obesity jabs including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per estimates, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance recognises that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be managed with holistic and lifelong treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to universal access to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current most optimistic scenario, the production of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to widen availability, via measures such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so users consume fewer calories.
People usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Studies indicates people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the treatment, as their normal hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
