Less than a tenth of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its first advice on the medications.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to this class of drugs.
Per projections, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and ongoing support," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can help people shift significant body mass, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to widen availability, through measures like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so individuals eat less.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the drug, when their normal hunger come back.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, like diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
