Fewer than one in 10 people who could benefit from weight-loss injections like Wegovy can access them, caution the WHO as it publishes its initial advice on the drugs.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to these injectable treatments.
According to estimates, in excess of 2,000,000,000 are projected to be obese by 2030 unless action is taken.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a long-term condition that can be treated with comprehensive and ongoing care," said WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Significant expense, constrained manufacturing, and logistical bottlenecks are major barriers to widespread availability to the jabs that can help people shift significant body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Despite the current most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs would only suffice for approximately 100 million people – less than 10% of eligible patients, as stated by the health organization.
The advice encourages governments and firms to widen access, through strategies such as voluntary licensing.
A patent on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of a leading brand – is set to lapse in several countries in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Jabs Work
GLP-1 drugs mimick a body's own hormone to delay gastric emptying, curb appetite and increase the sense of being full so individuals consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically begin shedding pounds within a few weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Evidence suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of halting the medication, as their typical food cravings come back.
Being overweight or obese elevates your likelihood for experiencing medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and certain malignancies.
Excess weight impacts individuals in countries worldwide and was associated with over three and a half million fatalities worldwide in 2024, according to the WHO.
