Fewer than 10% of people who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to broad availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, via measures such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost satiety so people eat less.
Patients typically start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies indicates patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, because their typical food cravings resume.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for experiencing diseases, including diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
