Under 10% of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the WHO as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to widen access, through measures including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Patients typically start to lose weight in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence points to users may see weight return a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their usual appetite come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing diseases, like diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
