Under a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the medications.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for increased and just access to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and continuous support," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to universal access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing substantial body mass, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the current best projected outlook, the manufacturing of such drugs could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation urges nations and manufacturers to widen access, via strategies including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in a number of countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and increase the sense of being full so people consume fewer calories.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of halting the drug, when their typical appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing health problems, such as diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
