Fewer than one in 10 individuals who could benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to GLP-1 medication.
According to estimates, over two billion could be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with thorough and continuous care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are significant obstacles to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most favorable case, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – fewer than 10% of the global need, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase access, by approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
Individuals typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the medication, because their usual appetite come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your chance for contracting health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity affects people in countries worldwide and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
