Under 10% of patients who could benefit from weight-loss injections such as Wegovy have access to them, warns the WHO as it issues its inaugural advice on the therapies.
Considering over a billion people worldwide currently classified as obese, it is advocating for broader and more equitable availability to these injectable treatments.
According to projections, in excess of 2,000,000,000 could be obese by 2030 without intervention.
"Our new guidelines acknowledges that excess weight is a chronic disease that can be addressed with thorough and lifelong care," stated WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
Substantial prices, limited production capacity, and distribution challenges are major hurdles to widespread access to the treatments that can aid individuals in losing significant body mass, says the organization.
GLP-1 Therapy Supply Crisis
Even under the present best projected scenario, the production of these medications might only reach about 100 million people – under 10% of the global need, per the health organization.
The guideline encourages nations and manufacturers to widen access, by strategies including voluntary licensing.
A patent on a key compound – the core component of a leading brand – is set to lapse in a number of countries in 2026.
How Obesity Injections Operate
These medications replicate a biological compound to slow digestion, suppress the appetite and enhance satiety so people consume fewer calories.
Individuals typically start to lose weight after several weeks of starting on the weekly injections.
Studies suggests people may regain a significant portion after a year of stopping the treatment, when their normal hunger come back.
Being above a healthy weight raises your chance for contracting medical conditions, including diabetes, cardiovascular issues, brain attack, and some malignancies.
Obesity concerns people in countries worldwide and was responsible for millions of deaths worldwide in 2024, as per the health agency.
