Less than 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it publishes its first recommendations on the drugs.
Considering more than one billion people worldwide currently obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"Our new guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are major barriers to broad access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even in the current most favorable case, the manufacturing of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, per the WHO.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to increase availability, via strategies including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the primary component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Work
The injections mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, suppress the appetite and enhance feelings of fullness so users reduce food intake.
Individuals typically see weight reduction within a few weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence indicates people may put most of the weight back on after a year of stopping the treatment, when their usual appetite come back.
To be above a healthy weight increases your chance for experiencing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
