Under a tenth of people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on estimates, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines affirms that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing treatment," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to expand availability, through measures including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase feelings of fullness so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals usually start to lose weight after several weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Research indicates people may regain a significant portion within a year of stopping the drug, as their normal hunger come back.
Being carrying excess weight increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight concerns individuals in all nations and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
