Less than 10% of individuals who could benefit from weight-loss injections including Wegovy are able to get them, states the WHO as it publishes its initial recommendations on the medications.
Considering over a billion people worldwide now classified as obese, it is calling for more widespread and fairer access to this class of drugs.
Based on forecasts, over two billion will be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines recognises that obesity is a lifelong illness that can be managed with thorough and ongoing treatment," stated its chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and logistical bottlenecks are significant barriers to universal availability to the treatments that can assist patients in reducing substantial body mass, says the body.
Weight-Loss Drug Scarcity
Even under the present most favorable outlook, the production of such drugs might only reach about 100 million people – fewer than 10% of those who need them, as stated by the WHO.
The advice urges governments and firms to expand access, by approaches like patent sharing.
Exclusive production rights on the active ingredient – the main ingredient of the drug Wegovy – is scheduled to end in multiple nations in 2026.
How Weight-Loss Drugs Function
GLP-1 drugs replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, reduce hunger and boost satiety so individuals eat less.
Individuals commonly start to lose weight after several weeks of beginning the once-weekly jabs.
Research suggests patients may put most of the weight back on after a year of discontinuing the medication, as their normal food cravings come back.
To be above a healthy weight elevates your likelihood for experiencing diseases, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and certain cancers.
Obesity concerns individuals in every country and was associated with 3.7 million deaths worldwide in 2024, according to the health agency.
