Fewer than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and lifelong treatment," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the present best projected case, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to expand access, through strategies including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections imitate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and increase satiety so users eat less.
Patients usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the weekly injections.
Research points to people may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their usual appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
