Fewer than a tenth of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, states the WHO as it releases its initial advice on the medications.
Given in excess of 1,000,000,000 people worldwide now classified as obese, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
Per forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 if no action is taken.
"The new guidelines affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be addressed with holistic and continuous treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are significant obstacles to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift substantial body mass, explains the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the production of GLP-1 therapies would only suffice for about 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to expand access, via approaches including licensing agreements.
The intellectual property rights on semaglutide – the core component of the drug Wegovy – is due to expire in several countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Function
These medications imitate a body's own hormone to slow digestion, reduce hunger and increase satiety so people eat less.
Patients commonly start to lose weight in the initial weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Studies points to patients may put most of the weight back on a year later of discontinuing the drug, because their usual food cravings come back.
To be carrying excess weight elevates your likelihood for developing diseases, such as type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain cancers.
Excess weight concerns individuals in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
