Less than 10% of people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it issues its first advice on the medications.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and continuous care," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key barriers to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen access, via measures like patent sharing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Patients typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may put most of the weight back on a year later of stopping the treatment, because their usual hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts people in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
