Less than 10% of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it releases its initial advice on the medications.
With more than one billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and ongoing care," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are major obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, explains the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Despite the present most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to expand availability, via measures like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Jabs Function
GLP-1 drugs mimick a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Research indicates users may see weight return a year later of halting the treatment, as their normal appetite come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your risk for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
