Less than 10% of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the WHO as it releases its first recommendations on the therapies.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to expand access, through measures like voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Work
These medications replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies indicates users may regain a significant portion within a year of discontinuing the medication, as their normal appetite resume.
To be above a healthy weight increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
