Less than one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The latest guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with thorough and ongoing treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key hurdles to universal access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable case, the production of such drugs could only cover around 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The advice urges countries and companies to expand access, via measures like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Work
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and increase feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Individuals usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Research points to people may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the medication, as their normal food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for experiencing medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects individuals in every country and was responsible for over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the health agency.
