Fewer than one in 10 people eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, warns the WHO as it publishes its first guidance on the medications.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, over two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing treatment," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to broad access to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The guideline calls on nations and manufacturers to expand availability, by strategies like voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Operate
The injections mimick a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients typically see weight reduction in the initial weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Studies suggests users may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, when their usual hunger return.
Being overweight or obese increases your risk for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight affects individuals in every country and was linked to 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
