Under one in 10 individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it issues its initial advice on the therapies.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are major obstacles to widespread availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present most optimistic scenario, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, per the WHO.
The advice urges nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via measures such as licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users eat less.
People commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return within a year of stopping the medication, when their usual appetite return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
