Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing considerable weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline urges countries and companies to widen access, by measures including patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Operate
The injections mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research points to people may see weight return after a year of halting the treatment, because their usual appetite return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your chance for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
