Under a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it releases its initial recommendations on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines recognises that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift significant weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of these medications might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The guideline urges governments and firms to increase availability, through strategies such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
The injections replicate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the treatment, as their normal appetite return.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for developing medical conditions, including diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
