Under 10% of individuals that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable availability to this class of drugs.
According to projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and continuous support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key barriers to universal access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the present best projected case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The advice calls on governments and firms to expand availability, by measures like patent sharing.
A patent on semaglutide – the main component of a leading brand – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections replicate a natural hormone to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and boost feelings of fullness so users eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests people may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, as their typical appetite return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting diseases, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
