Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it releases its inaugural recommendations on the medications.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and lifelong treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to increase access, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is set to lapse in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence indicates people may regain a significant portion a year later of halting the treatment, as their typical food cravings resume.
To be carrying excess weight increases your chance for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
