Less than 10% of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it releases its first guidance on the therapies.
With more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to this class of drugs.
According to estimates, more than two billion will be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The new guidance acknowledges that obesity is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to broad access to the injections that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even under the current most optimistic case, the supply of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, as stated by the health organization.
The guideline urges countries and companies to widen access, by approaches like patent sharing.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in multiple nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Drugs Operate
GLP-1 drugs mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, curb appetite and increase satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Patients typically begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of commencing the weekly injections.
Evidence points to patients may regain a significant portion after a year of discontinuing the drug, as their usual food cravings come back.
Being above a healthy weight increases your likelihood for developing health problems, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight affects individuals in all nations and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
