Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to universal availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current best projected scenario, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through strategies such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
These medications imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
People typically see weight reduction after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return a year later of halting the treatment, because their typical food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for developing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
