Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the medications.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be addressed with holistic and lifelong treatment," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key barriers to broad availability to the injections that can help people shift significant weight, notes the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic scenario, the production of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to increase availability, through approaches such as patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Jabs Function
The injections mimick a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Individuals usually see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Studies suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the treatment, when their normal hunger come back.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your risk for experiencing health problems, such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
