Under 10% of people eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it releases its inaugural guidance on the therapies.
Given more than one billion people worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, over two billion could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be treated with thorough and lifelong care," remarked its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and logistical bottlenecks are key hurdles to widespread access to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, explains the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies could only cover approximately 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by measures like patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the core ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of beginning the regular doses.
Research suggests patients may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the drug, as their usual food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for developing health problems, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Obesity affects people in all nations and was associated with millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
