Under a tenth of patients 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 drugs.
With in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer availability to GLP-1 medication.
According to forecasts, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and ongoing support," stated the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the current best projected outlook, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The advice encourages nations and manufacturers to increase availability, by approaches including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
People commonly see weight reduction within a few weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies points to patients may regain a significant portion within a year of halting the medication, as their normal food cravings return.
Being overweight or obese elevates your risk for contracting health problems, like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
