Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to widen availability, via measures such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so individuals eat less.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the treatment, as their usual hunger resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your chance for contracting medical conditions, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
