Under one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it issues its inaugural recommendations on the drugs.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant barriers to broad availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing considerable body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current best projected outlook, the production of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to widen access, by strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Work
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase satiety so users reduce food intake.
Individuals commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may regain a significant portion a year later of discontinuing the treatment, as their typical appetite come back.
Being overweight or obese raises your risk for contracting health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was linked to millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
