Fewer than a tenth of people that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy can access them, caution the global health agency as it issues its first recommendations on the therapies.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable access to these injectable treatments.
Per estimates, more than two billion will be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidance recognises that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be managed with comprehensive and continuous care," remarked the agency's head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, insufficient output, and supply-chain constraints are key barriers to widespread availability to the injections that can assist patients in reducing substantial weight, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the present most optimistic case, the supply of such drugs might only reach around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The recommendation calls on nations and manufacturers to expand access, through measures including voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on the active ingredient – the main component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Drugs Function
The injections imitate a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost satiety so users eat less.
Individuals usually start to lose weight within a few weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence points to patients may see weight return within a year of halting the drug, as their typical hunger return.
To be overweight or obese increases your likelihood for developing medical conditions, like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, brain attack, and some cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in all nations and was linked to over three and a half million deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
