Under one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the global health agency as it issues its first guidance on the therapies.
Considering in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for more widespread and fairer availability to these injectable treatments.
According to forecasts, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 without intervention.
"The latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with holistic and lifelong care," remarked WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to widespread access to the treatments that can help people shift substantial body mass, notes the body.
GLP-1 Therapy Shortage
Even under the current most optimistic outlook, the production of these medications would only suffice for around 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to increase availability, via approaches including patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on semaglutide – the core ingredient of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Function
These medications mimick a biological compound to reduce digestion speed, reduce hunger and enhance the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
People usually begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the regular doses.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return after a year of halting the medication, because their usual hunger return.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your risk for contracting diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some cancers.
Excess weight affects people in every country and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
