Under 10% of patients that would benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, warns the World Health Organization as it issues its inaugural guidance on the drugs.
Considering over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is urging broader and more equitable availability to GLP-1 medication.
Per projections, more than two billion are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"The latest guidance acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be treated with holistic and ongoing support," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant obstacles to broad access to the treatments that can help people shift significant body mass, says the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present best projected scenario, the supply of these medications could only cover about 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, according to the WHO.
The recommendation encourages countries and companies to increase availability, via strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the main component of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several countries in 2026.
The Way Weight-Loss Injections Work
The injections imitate a natural hormone to slow digestion, curb appetite and increase feelings of fullness so people eat less.
Individuals usually start to lose weight in the initial weeks of starting on the once-weekly jabs.
Studies indicates users may put most of the weight back on within a year of stopping the drug, as their usual food cravings return.
To be overweight or obese raises your chance for experiencing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
