Less than one in 10 individuals eligible to benefit from GLP-1 drugs such as Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it publishes its inaugural advice on the therapies.
With over a billion individuals worldwide now living with obesity, it is calling for broader and more equitable access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion are projected to be living with obesity by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our latest guidance affirms that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be addressed with thorough and continuous support," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, insufficient output, and distribution challenges are key barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can aid individuals in losing significant weight, explains the agency.
Weight-Loss Drug Shortage
Even in the present most favorable outlook, the supply of these medications would only suffice for about 100 million people – less than 10% of the global need, according to the health organization.
The advice calls on governments and firms to increase availability, via measures including patent sharing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the primary ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in several nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Injections Operate
The injections imitate a natural hormone to delay gastric emptying, reduce hunger and boost the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight within a few weeks of commencing the regular doses.
Research suggests users may see weight return within a year of discontinuing the drug, when their usual food cravings return.
To be carrying excess weight raises your chance for developing diseases, including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular issues, stroke, and certain cancers.
Excess weight impacts people in every country and was associated with millions of fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
