Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it releases its initial guidance on the therapies.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to broad access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the production of these medications might only reach approximately 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, according to the health organization.
The guideline calls on governments and firms to expand access, via measures like licensing agreements.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the primary component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so users eat less.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Evidence indicates users may see weight return after a year of stopping the drug, when their normal food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the WHO.
