Under a tenth of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it publishes its initial recommendations on the drugs.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant hurdles to widespread availability to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to expand availability, by strategies including voluntary licensing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs imitate a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so users reduce food intake.
People commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to people may put most of the weight back on within a year of discontinuing the drug, because their usual appetite resume.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for contracting medical conditions, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in all nations and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
