Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it issues its initial recommendations on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and ongoing care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major hurdles to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to increase availability, through strategies including licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Work
These medications mimick a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may see weight return within a year of stopping the medication, because their usual appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your risk for developing health problems, like diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity affects individuals in all nations and was linked to millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
