Under one in 10 patients eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy have access to them, caution the World Health Organization as it publishes its first advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is urging more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
Per projections, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"Our latest guidance affirms that obesity is a chronic disease that can be addressed with holistic and continuous support," said the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to widespread access to the injections that can help people shift substantial weight, notes the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even in the current most favorable scenario, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, according to the WHO.
The guideline encourages governments and firms to widen access, by strategies such as licensing agreements.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and boost satiety so people consume fewer calories.
People commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research indicates users may see weight return within a year of stopping the treatment, as their usual appetite return.
Being above a healthy weight elevates your risk for developing health problems, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
