Less than a tenth of individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural recommendations on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and continuous support," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on governments and firms to increase access, by strategies such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, when their usual hunger come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for contracting diseases, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and specific malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
