Fewer than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural advice on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just access to GLP-1 medication.
Based on projections, over two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a lifelong illness that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, constrained manufacturing, and supply-chain constraints are key obstacles to widespread access to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing substantial weight, says the agency.
GLP-1 Therapy Scarcity
Even in the current most favorable outlook, the manufacturing of GLP-1 therapies might only reach about 100 million people – less than 10% of those who need them, according to the health organization.
The recommendation calls on countries and companies to widen availability, by measures like licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the main component of Novo Nordisk's Wegovy – is due to expire in a number of nations in 2026.
The Way Obesity Injections Work
These medications replicate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost satiety so individuals consume fewer calories.
People commonly begin shedding pounds in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to users may see weight return after a year of stopping the medication, because their usual food cravings come back.
To be overweight or obese increases your chance for contracting diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity impacts individuals in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, per the WHO.
