Under a tenth of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its first guidance on the drugs.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide currently obese, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Based on projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are major obstacles to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift significant weight, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Despite the current most optimistic scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of those who need them, as stated by the health organization.
The advice calls on nations and manufacturers to widen access, through approaches including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
These medications mimick a body's own hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Evidence suggests users may regain a significant portion a year later of stopping the treatment, because their normal appetite return.
Being overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
