Under a tenth of patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy have access to them, states the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Given over a billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to widespread availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, through measures including voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
These medications mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research indicates users may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their usual food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and specific cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
