Fewer than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are major barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Despite the present most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges nations and manufacturers to expand access, via approaches including voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
People typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence suggests users may see weight return a year later of halting the medication, as their typical appetite return.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for developing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
