Under 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most optimistic outlook, the supply of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via approaches such as patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
The injections imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people reduce food intake.
Patients usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies indicates people may put most of the weight back on within a year of halting the drug, when their usual food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
