Under a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, warns the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, through approaches such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Individuals commonly see weight reduction after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the medication, when their normal appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
