Less than 10% of people that would benefit from GLP-1 drugs including Wegovy are able to get them, states the global health agency as it publishes its inaugural advice on the medications.
Given over a billion people worldwide currently living with obesity, it is advocating for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
Per forecasts, more than two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to broad availability to the jabs that can assist patients in reducing significant body mass, notes the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even under the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach around 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The advice urges countries and companies to expand availability, by measures like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
GLP-1 drugs imitate a body's own hormone to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and enhance satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
People usually begin shedding pounds after several weeks of commencing the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, as their typical hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight increases your risk for contracting medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity impacts people in countries worldwide and was linked to 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
