Fewer than one in 10 patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, states the global health agency as it issues its inaugural advice on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is urging increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with comprehensive and lifelong support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are significant barriers to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the present best projected outlook, the production of such drugs could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen availability, through strategies like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to patients may see weight return a year later of stopping the medication, as their normal appetite return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your likelihood for experiencing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
