Less than one in 10 individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, states the World Health Organization as it releases its first recommendations on the drugs.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now obese, it is urging increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to universal access to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing considerable weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current best projected scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to widen access, by measures such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Research suggests people may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the treatment, because their typical hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
