Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, caution the global health agency as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
Given more than one billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for increased and just availability to these injectable treatments.
Based on estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidance affirms that obesity is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and lifelong treatment," said its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
High costs, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are key hurdles to universal access to the treatments that can help people shift considerable weight, says the organization.
Weight-Loss Drug Supply Crisis
Even in the current best projected scenario, the supply of GLP-1 therapies could only cover around 100 million people – under 10% of eligible patients, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to widen availability, by strategies such as voluntary licensing.
The intellectual property rights on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Obesity Drugs Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and boost the sense of being full so individuals reduce food intake.
Patients usually begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Studies points to patients may see weight return after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their typical food cravings return.
To be above a healthy weight raises your risk for developing medical conditions, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and specific cancers.
Excess weight concerns people in every country and was responsible for 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
