Under one in 10 patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be managed with holistic and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing considerable body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current best projected case, the supply of such drugs might only reach approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to widen access, by measures including licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on a key compound – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals reduce food intake.
People commonly begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the medication, when their usual food cravings return.
Being carrying excess weight raises your chance for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
