Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with thorough and ongoing care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, notes the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the current best projected scenario, the production of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so users consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests users may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the treatment, because their normal food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
