Under one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the drugs.
With more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidelines recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and ongoing care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice urges countries and companies to widen access, through approaches such as voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their usual appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for contracting health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
